Following a busy day at the County Ground on Monday during which there had been productive meetings with each of the players followed by a meeting between the coaching staff and Vic Marks who is the Chairman of Cricket, chief executive Peter Anderson told me this morning: "As a result of these meetings we feel that we have learnt several lessons from this season."

Mr Anderson continued: "Firstly we have been unable to deal effectively with the complacency issue which we feel effected the season, the players expected success this year and thought that it would come their way.We were disappointed that the sports psychologist who we employed pre-season had little effect."

He went on: "Secondly we had hoped to sign some new faces to bring into the squad for the 2002 season, but this had not been possible. If we had done then this would have focussed things up in the players minds."

He continued: "Thirdly we didn't think that the players prepared with as much enthusiasm in 2002 as they did in 2001, and fourthly individual players failed to look to their own performances when it got tough. Instead they looked for excuses."

As a result of these points the Somerset boss told me that the coaching staff were going to talk further to individual players and try to come up with a fresh strategy for 2003.

Mr Anderson continued: "We have also identified some of the cricket playing problems from the season. Firstly the success of 2001 was built upon an opening attack of Johnson and Jones who between them bowled 1300 overs and took 120 championship wickets, but sadly they didn't bowl in tandem at all this season."

"Secondly we had an inexperienced attack of Bulbeck and Francis both of whom improved as the season went on."

The chief continued: "Thirdly we lacked consistency of batting caused through injury to Jamie Cox which upset the balance of the side."

He went on: "Fourthly in the county championship after we beat Yorkshire in the opening match we were thwarted by the weather in both the Sussex and Surrey matches when we were in strong positions. At the start of the season confidence was high but as the season went on and the results didn't go our way coupled with injuries this disappeared and affected the players."

He concluded: "Lastly we dropped several vital catches against leading players who then went on to punish us."

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