SOMERSET director of cricket Matt Maynard has signed a two-year extension to his contract.

Maynard joined the county in 2014 and his new deal will see him stay at the helm until at least the end of the 2019 season.

Under hiss guidance this season, Somerset finished second in the Specsavers County Championship and reached the semi-finals of the Royal London One-Day Cup.

The new deal was announced at the club's awards dinner.

Maynard said: “I’ve felt at home since the moment that I joined the club and I’m delighted to have signed this extension.

"I’m looking forward to taking this project forward as far as possible.

"It’s a unique club that covers a wide area with a huge catchment and I’m particularly pleased with how we have developed our relationships with Devon and Cornwall.

"It’s great to see the young lads coming through and it’s about helping the young players develop their game and their philosophies to ensure that they can be as good as they can be.

“It has also been brilliant to see the senior players continuing to perform at their very best and it’s going to be exciting to see if we can go that one step further in the Specsavers County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup as well as improving in the NatWest T20 Blast.”

After signing his extension, Maynard also praised the Somerset members and supporters.

“They are extremely knowledgeable and hugely passionate about their cricket club,” he said.

“It’s brilliant when we pick a young player who is from the area because the ovation that they get is terrific even before they take a wicket or get some runs.

"It’s just because they have come through the system here. We are so grateful for that kind of support. I think the supporters are right behind exactly what we are trying to build and achieve here.”

Somerset chief executive Guy Lavender said: “When we announced that Matt was going to become our director of cricket back in 2014, I stated that he was an outstanding leader and communicator and a man of great integrity and knowledge.

"Since he took up his position he has proved to be exactly that. Everyone at the club is extremely excited about what this group of players can achieve and Matt is certainly the man to help them reach their potential.

“2016 was an excellent season for Somerset and Matt’s leadership was an integral element of that.

"We are confident that, with Matt at the helm, the club can build on what was achieved this year.”