Bicknell returns as Surrey bowling coach

Martin Bicknell, the former Surrey swing bowler, has returned to the county as a specialist bowling coach as the backroom at The Oval begins to resemble the powerful Surrey team of the late 1990s.

Graham Thorpe and Ian Salisbury have also returned to south London during the winter as Surrey restructure under Chris Adams, the new cricket manager, following their Championship relegation last season while Alec Stewart also works for the club.

"It's like old times, meeting up with Thorpe and Salisbury, and obviously Alec Stewart being involved as well," Bicknell told BBC London. "So it's nice that some of the older players can comeback and pass on some of their experience, it's nice to be part of that."

Bicknell spent 20 hears playing for Surrey after making his debut in 1986 and said he was delighted to be back. "To get involved with Surrey was too good an offer to turn down. I'm trying to focus on how they're preparing, how they go about the mental side of the game and how they look to structure a day's bowling."

Meanwhile, one of the young bowlers Bicknell will be working with, Chris Jordan, has signed a two-year extension to his contract which will keep him at Surrey until 2011.