The former England all-rounder, who captained the team in 2003, is firm favourite to be handed the job following Darren Gough's retirement.

McGrath, 32, is set to beat off competition from South African batsman Jacques Rudolph, who has expressed interest in the role.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Post's online Cricket Talk programme, McGrath said: "I've done it (the job) before, albeit for a year when I was younger, and I said when I gave it up last time it's something I'd like to do again.

"If the club decides I'm going to be captain, I'd do the job and try and make a good fist of it and, hopefully, bring some silverware to the club.

"I've been vice-captain for two years now and captain on a number of occasions. As you get older, you gain more experience and you can balance the two – captaincy and playing, combining your own performance with making decisions for the team."

McGrath has already received Gough's backing, the former England fast bowler saying: "I would expect Anthony to have a go at it. He has always been a team man, a team player, and he is a strong character. You need a strong character to be captain of Yorkshire."

McGrath endured a difficult time in 2003 as the club finished fourth in the County Championship Second Division and were relegated in the National League.

The captaincy also coincided with his call-up to the England team – a development that persuaded him to relinquish the reins at the end of the summer to prevent a potential clash with international commitments.

Since then, McGrath has grown in experience and led Yorkshire on a number of occasions in Gough's absence.

His appointment would cap a remarkable turnaround from two winters ago, when McGrath rejected the offer of the captaincy and almost quit the club after growing disillusioned.

It was only Gough's return to Headingley Carnegie that persuaded him to stay and which averted a potential court showdown, with Yorkshire threatening to take legal action against McGrath if he broke his contract.

But with that unsettling period now firmly behind him, and with his popularity as strong as ever, McGrath is ready for a second bite at the cherry as he gears up for his benefit summer in 2009.

He is also determined to improve on his efforts with the bat after scoring 728 Championship runs last season at 34.66.

"I was a little bit disappointed with my return in Championship cricket," admitted McGrath. "I set myself high standards and, although I missed a couple of games through injury, I should really be scoring more runs in the Championship.

"My one-day form was pretty good – in the Twenty20 and Pro40 especially. Overall, it was not too bad, but I'd expect to get more runs in the Championship next season."