Bowlers ensure Durham should be feared

Last season
Championship: 5th Div 1; NatWest Blast: 6th North Group; Royal London Cup: Winners

In

Out: Gareth Breese (released)

Overseas: John Hastings

2014 in a nutshell
Given the thin spread of Durham's resources, a defence of their Championship title was always an outside bet - but the odds shortened on the possibility of relegation after they failed to win a four-day game until mid-June. A one-wicket defeat to Lancashire in August left them in the bottom two but Paul Collingwood's side reeled off three consecutive victories - including a thrashing of Northamptonshire in which Chris Rushworth took 15 wickets in a day - to pull themselves comfortably clear. Their late-season surge saw them win six in a row in all competitions and was topped by lifting the Royal London Cup on a grey day at Lord's, the campaign lit up by contrasting Man-of-the-Match performances in the semi-final and final from Ben Stokes.

2015 prospects
It would be unwise to write Durham off and they might hope for better luck with injuries this year. The squad remains much the same, with Collingwood extending his contract and John Hastings set to return after a successful spell as overseas player. Graham Onions, who has been awarded a benefit, will return following surgery on a back injury that severely disrupted his 2014 and, if an England recall looks unlikely, he should close in on Steve Harmison as the county's second-highest wicket-taker in first-class cricket. Mark Stoneman will hope to build on a successful first season as limited-overs captain, but Durham could lose a significant asset if Stokes is called on to help revive England - though his ECB central contract should ease the financial pressures which have been emphasised by a marked lack of activity in the transfer market.

Power brokers
In his first full season in charge, Jon Lewis ensured that Durham's run of locally-sourced success would continue. Lewis, a long-time servant of the club before stepping up to replace Geoff Cook, has not sought to make dramatic changes and the positive environment was enough to convince Collingwood to play on into his 40th year, even as he contemplates a future in coaching. Collingwood will continue to lead the Championship side, with Stoneman being groomed in the shorter formats.

Key player
Such is the team ethic at Durham, several names could fit the bill, from Collingwood, to Onions, to Rushworth. Stokes has plenty to prove but England's disastrous World Cup has paved the way for a swift international return and he will miss the first month of the season with the Test party in the West Indies. The focus, then, will be on Stoneman, whose aggressive batting at the top of the order can help dictate games at seam-friendly Chester-le-Street (until England pick him in the one-day side, that is).

Bright young thing
Again, Durham are well stocked in this area. Mark Wood has already made an impact with the Lions, leading to an England Test call-up, while Jamie Harrison and Usman Arshad played their part in Durham's 2013 Championship win. Paul Coughlin might be the latest seam-bowling sensation to come through the academy. He was the youngest player on the field in last year's Royal London Cup final but exhibited few nerves as he took the new ball; he can also bat and made 85 on Championship debut.

ESPNcricinfo verdict
If they can field their first-choice XI more often than not, Durham should be comfortable enough in the top half, although the likelihood is that the squad will be stretched over the course of the season and that could be a serious concern. They could do with more runs from the top order but are always likely to win matches with the bowlers they can deploy. Whether Lewis can add further trophies to a well-stocked cabinet may depend on how often England come calling throughout the summer.

Bet365 odds: LV= Championship, Div 1: 9-1; NatWest Blast 20-1; Royal London Cup 9-1