Former England pacer Graham Onions has been appointed full-time bowling coach of Lancashire county cricket club.
The 38-year-old, who retired from professional cricket last season on medical grounds, will offer specialist bowling support and coaching to the First XI and Second XI bowling contingent as well as supporting Academy and age-group prospects.
Onions, who is an ECB Level 4 qualified coach, will be part of a coaching set-up that includes head coach Glen Chapple and assistant coach Mark Chilton.
“I am thrilled to get the opportunity to stay at Lancashire as bowling coach and work with one of the most talented bowling attacks in county cricket,” said Onions on his latest role.
“The depth of talent in the Lancashire system is immense. Competition for places in the current First XI squad is fierce and there is no shortage of talent coming through the Academy pathway; I have been lucky to see that first hand in my coaching role over the last three years.
“Seeing players you have worked with progress, improve, and ultimately perform for the First XI is as good as any feeling as I had during my playing days. I was lucky to experience that last summer with a few lads in their debut seasons and I hope I can help even more bowlers contribute to success for the Red Rose over the coming years,” he added.
A stalwart of the English domestic county game, Onions took 723 First-Class wickets and appeared in 13 internationals for England, nine of which were Test matches.
For Lancashire, he took 104 First-Class wickets in just 23 matches at an average of a little over 20.
Lancashire’s director of cricket Paul Allott added: “Graham is a universally popular and respected figure within the game, and we are delighted he will continue his association with the club. His talent on the field was undoubted, but we were all incredibly impressed with the impact he had in a coaching capacity during the shortened 2020 season, particularly when Glen Chapple was away with England in the early stages.
“A number of young bowlers fitted seamlessly into first-class cricket and that is in no small part down to ‘Bunny’, who has worked with them all over the last couple of years. He also holds a level four coaching certificate, the highest level offered by the ECB, and the opportunity to bring a coach on board who can combine that with his extensive level of playing experience does not come around often,” he added.
