Graham Onions becomes Lancashire's bowling coach

Graham Onions has been appointed as Lancashire's new bowling coach, after injury forced him into retirement last summer.

Onions, who played nine Tests for England between 2009 and 2012, suffered a back injury ahead of the Bob Willis Trophy season and retired in early September following medical advice.

He has worked in a coaching capacity with Lancashire's age-group and academy sides since joining the club ahead of the 2018 season, and continued in that role last year following his retirement.

Onions has a level four qualification from the ECB, and joins a coaching set-up that includes Glen Chapple as head coach and Mark Chilton as his assistant. The club have also regularly used Carl Crowe as a spin-bowling consultant in recent seasons.

Paul Allott, Lancashire's director of cricket, said: "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."

Onions said he was "thrilled" to continue his association with the club and said that he was particularly excited to work with the young seamers breaking into the first team.

"The depth of talent in the Lancashire system is immense," he said. "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."