Kepler Wessels' autocratic style of management finally put paid to him, with the players calling in their union, the Professional Cricketers’ Association, to help end his tenure as director of cricket. Wessels had bust-ups with players in previous seasons but this time it was too much for the club’s management, especially after the PCA popped in to show them a three-page letter of all the players’ grievances. A new rumour of Wessels falling out with a staff member had become a weekly bore until he left at the end of July, halfway through the Championship draw with Essex. Player morale and team spirit picked up immediately and results – at least in the oneday matches – followed. They could not get much worse: Wessels had overseen eight defeats in nine C&G Trophy games. Second place in the one-day league bodes well for a strong push for a limited-overs trophy and showed that Wessels had at least assembled a good side. With him gone, most of them now want to stay. One who remains undecided, amid interest from other counties, is the Australian batsman Chris Rogers, who cracked 1,142 of his 1,360 first-class runs in the seven games after Wessels’ departure. Throughout the turmoil Lance Klusener remained calm and consistent and was deservedly player-of-the-year.

Ashley Potter The Wisden Cricketer