Maynard has ingredients to make Somerset rise again

Last season
County Championship Div 1: 6th; NatWest T20 Blast: 5th South Group, 8th; Royal London Cup: 6th Group B

IN: Tim Groenewald (Derbyshire), Jim Allenby (Glamorgan), Tom Cooper
OUT: James Burke (Surrey), Nick Compton (Middlesex), Craig Meschede (Glamorgan, season-long loan)
Overseas: Abdur Rehman, Sohail Tanvir, Corey Anderson, Chris Gayle

2014 in a nutshell
Somerset bettered their showing in the Championship by one win and 52 points yet Dave Nosworthy left as director of cricket at the end of the season. They failed to force enough results - no one drew more matches than Somerset's 10. A look at their statistics suggests there was a failure to find enough runs but in seven matches they only batted once - and six of those games were drawn. So they suffered for a lack of wicket-takers? Well not really either. Four bowlers took more than 40 wickets and the returns of Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton were fillips for the club's academy. Perhaps the lack of a consistent spinner cost them but if just three of those draws were turned to victories they would have challenged for the title. T20 was a bigger disappointment as Somerset failed to qualify for the knockout stage for the first time since 2008.

2015 prospects
Matthew Maynard is the new director of cricket and inherits a squad full of potential. Three top-order batsman - Nick Compton, Alviro Petersen and Chris Jones - left the club but Australian Tom Cooper, with a European passport, has been signed. Tom Abell is also a promising young player up the order. Jim Allenby has been one of the leading allrounders in recent seasons and appears an excellent signing, with his one-day bowling a particular asset. Alex Barrow is a competent replacement for Craig Kieswetter, who has not recovered from an eye injury and is expected to miss the whole season, with fears his career could be over. But the crucial addition could be Pakistan's Abdur Rehman. Not much needs to swing in Somerset's favour for their 2015 to be very successful and they are perhaps worth an outside bet for the title.

Power brokers
From a strong shortlist, Maynard won the race to become the new director of cricket and brings a good record from South African domestic cricket, as well as experience of the Caribbean Premier League. But there has been a clear-out of backroom staff, with high performance director Andy Hurry leaving to join the England set-up at Loughborough and batting coach Dave Houghton moving to Middlesex. Marcus Trescothick proved his talent remains with over 1000 Championship runs last season and ploughs on as four-day captain but Alfonso Thomas takes over in one-day cricket.

Key player
Somerset needed a quality spinner last season to round off their attack and this year one has been brought in with Pakistan's Rehman available for the whole season, having been overlooked for international duty. He took 27 wickets at 14.18 during four matches in 2012 and has the potential to win Somerset a few of the matches they failed to get home in last season. He could prove the difference between mid-table and another tilt at a maiden Championship.

Bright young thing
It is not so long since Jamie Overton was being hyped up as an outside pick for the 2013-14 Ashes tour after several eye-catching performances. Tall and blessed with natural pace he has the makings of a top-class fast bowler. Injury hampered him last season, and his chances with England Lions, but the hope is he can now continue his development and become a dangerous weapon in Somerset's attack. But he is only 20 and needs time to get his game together, as other young quicks in England have proven.

ESPNcricinfo verdict
There is much to like about Somerset; a fine blend of youth and experience and plenty of exciting cricketers. They have potential to push for an elusive Championship title but whether they have the depth to maintain a challenge is questionable. This season may just be another development step but with Rehman more is possible. Trescothick enters the final year of his contract and, approaching 40, this could potentially be his swansong; what better retirement gift than a Championship pennant.

Bet365 odds: Championship Div 1: 9-1, T20 Blast: 7-1, Royal London Cup: 8-1