NEW Lancashire captain Mark Chilton will turn to his predecessor Warren Hegg for help as he bids to lead the club back to the County Championship's top flight at the first attempt.

Chilton has taken on the skipper's job -- with the experienced Stuart Law as vice-captain -- following Hegg's decision to step down after three years.

Hegg felt the agony of every Lancashire fan as last season's title favourites slid out of the top flight. But he will stay on as a wicketkeeper at Old Trafford, having signed a one-year deal, and Chilton will not be afraid to ask for his advice.

"Warren did a great job for us for three years," said the 28-year-old. "But he felt the time was right to step down. But I still see him as an integral part of the decision-making process, and he will play a part in the discussions we will have during the course of the season.

"He has a lot of experience, and I will be tapping into that."

Chilton will also aim to make the most of Law's tactical knowledge. The 38-year-old batsman captained Queensland to title glory in his native Australia, and is expected to have a huge influence this season, having missed a chunk of the last campaign with a back injury.

"Stuart and I have a very good relationship on the field," Chilton said. "He's an experienced player, and will have a big role to play in helping me move the club forward."

Although he was born in Sheffield, Chilton was brought up in Sale, and does not consider himself a Yorkshireman. The new captain feels he is Lancashire to the core, just like his predecessor.

But Chilton is aware that he has very different personality to the more extrovert Hegg.

A thoughtful character, the right-handed batsman is every bit as committed to the Lancashire cause as Hegg, and just as aware of the responsibility he is taking on.

"This is a job I've dreamed about. There are some great names on that list of former Lancashire captains. I feel very proud.

"I do have my own ideas about how to do the job, and I'm looking forward to putting those into practice."

Chilton is no stranger to captaincy -- he led a talented Durham University team during his final year as a student. That side included a young Andrew Strauss, now a batting star with Surrey and England. Although Chilton is aware that captaining a County Championship side is a big step-up, he believes his university experience will be a help.

He also believes that he will be able to combine the pressures of leading Lancashire with the pressures of putting runs on the board -- something they failed to do too often last season.

"It's something I will have to deal with," he said. "I haven't thought about how the captaincy will affect the way I play. I'm very confident that the responsibility will bring the best out of me."

As for the team, Chilton expects nothing less than promotion.

"The goal is immediate promotion back to the First Division, where we belong," he said. "It was very disappointing to drop into the Second Division. We're also looking for silverware, for one-day trophies. But the priority is to get back to Division One."