Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 2005 were in the second division of both the County Championship and the totesport League. At 6–1 odds to win the Second Division of the County Championship, they were likely to struggle again – as they had done since they won the First Division championship in 2001. They then beat Ireland in Belfast on 3 and 4 May to progress to the Second Round of the C&G Trophy, before going on to record two comfortable victories in the Championship against Northamptonshire and Leicestershire.