Who is the captain?

Darren Maddy

Who are the overseas players?

Monde Zondeki (South Africa), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka; Twenty20 Cup only)

Who has arrived?

Zondeki, Ian Salisbury (Surrey), Boyd Rankin (Derbyshire), Tony Frost, Calum MacLeod, Richard Johnson, Ant Botha (Derbyshire)

Who has left?

Michael Barnes, Paul Harris, Alex Loudon, Adam Shantry (Glamorgan), Alfonso Thomas (Somerset), Kumar Sangakarra, Dale Steyn, Heath Streak, Dougie Brown, Vaughn van Jaarsveld

What has the IPL/ICL done to them?

Maddy and Rankin gained experience playing ICL in December

What is their nickname?

Bears

How did they fare last season?

LV County Championship: 8th, first division; NatWest Pro40: 8th, first division; Friends Provident Trophy: semi-finals; Twenty20 Cup: quarter-finals. Relegated in both four and one-day leagues, their form deteriorated after they had been unbeaten in their first 12 matches in all formats. Of their last 20, they won only two and Mark Greatbatch was dismissed as director of cricket with a year of his contract still to run

What are their prospects?

Promotion in both leagues looks a realistic possibility if their batting is more consistent and their pace attack shows greater penetration. The membership will not tolerate a repeat of last season, but under the new direction of Ashley Giles (director of cricket) and Allan Donald (bowling coach), an improvement can be expected

What are their strengths?

Experienced top order ought to make runs against second division attacks; Ian Salisbury and Ant Botha should form an able, balanced spin duo

What are their weaknesses?

There is a lack of star quality in the batting and not much pace in the seam department. Monde Zondeki, with 16 wickets in his five Tests for South Africa in 2003-04, is something of an unknown quantity. Can he last a full season?

One to watch

Rankin, the tall Irish seamer (above), recruited from Derbyshire