Problems remain for Lancs

New signing David Byas led Yorkshire to the title in 2001

Test Match Special commentator Simon Mann assesses Lancashire's prospects for the 2002 county season.

Lancashire escaped relegation by six points last season. Expect another season of struggle, despite the changes during the winter.

The club have a new coach, skipper and overseas player and have persuaded last season's championship-winning captain, David Byas, to abandon plans to retire.

But there is no quick fix to Lancashire's problems and avoiding relegation should be viewed as a success.

  Championship prediction

6th place will be a triumph

They are simply not good enough to use Yorkshire's title victory last summer as a spur.

Coach Bobby Simpson has left - he would not have survived even if he had wanted to stay - and John Crawley has gone as well after being sacked as captain.

Simpson's replacement is Mike Watkinson. The wisdom of appointing an inexperienced coach who has played with many of the current squad remains to be seen.

Warren Hegg will lead the team on the field. He is an able county cricketer but it is a demanding task to captain from behind the stumps, especially in a struggling team.

Hegg, through no fault of his own, has also missed the pre-season build-up.

The settlement that allowed Crawley to leave for Hampshire was sensible for all concerned. It is pointless holding on to a disaffected player, however talented, but his departure leaves a gap.

Law can be relied on for a healthy tally of runs

Neil Fairbrother eventually agreed to sign a new contract azfter he too considered leaving. The problem now is that he is unlikely to be fit for the start of the season.

Lancashire's batting line-up could be short on overall quality, hence the decision to sign the Australian Stuart Law, who impressed everyone at Old Trafford by scoring three centuries in a week there for Essex last season.

The county's new overseas signing has rarely failed during his time in England and is a proven destroyer of county bowling - he averaged 65.55 last summer.

More of the same is the minimum Lancashire will need.

Mike Atherton's retirement is not the big loss it might appear - he rarely played for them in the championship in recent years - but the absence of Andrew Flintoff will be.

He looks certain to miss most of the county season after establishing himself in the England side.

Alec Swann has joined from Northamptonshire amid suggestions that he is being earmarked as Atherton's replacement. He might bat in the same position but 479 championship runs at 21.77 in 2001 suggests that is only wishful thinking.

Jo Scuderi, the Australian with an Italian passport, has been released after two mediocre seasons. It summed up Lancashire's season that he was deemed good enough to play 12 championship matches in 2001.

The club have a reliable array of seam bowlers and in Glen Chapple they possess a player capable of more than just eye-catching performances in the county game.

  Lancashire 2002

Captain: Warren Hegg

Coach: Mike Watkinson

Overseas player: Stuart Law

Other main signings: David Byas (Yorkshire), Alec Swann (Northamptonshire)

Main departures: Mike Atherton (retired), Ian Austin (retired), John Crawley (Hampshire) Joe Scuderi, Richard Green

He is an opening bowler who took 53 wickets at 22.15 last season and averaged 31.06 with the bat.

Chapple, along with Peter Martin, John Wood and Mike Smethurst will need to compensate for the loss of Muttiah Muralitharan, because Lancashire's spinners are unlikely to do so.

Muralitharan's 50 wickets in seven matches probably saved the club from relegation.

Gary Keedy played more than leg-spinner Chris Schofield last summer. Schofield's career stagnated in 2001 after winning an England contract the year before. He took only eleven championship wickets.

Like his colleagues, he has a challenging season ahead.