Graham Onions will play at least another season at Lancashire after signing a one-year contract extension.
Right-arm quick Onions, who turned 37 in September, will play his third season with Lancashire in 2020 having taken 45 Championship wickets at an average of 19.57 in 2019, including three five-wicket hauls, as the club topped the Division Two table and secured promotion.
Onions, who played nine Tests and four ODIs for England between 2009 and 2012, joined Lancashire at the end of the 2017 after 14 seasons at Durham. The move came after Onions rejected a two-year deal to stay at Durham where the second year depended on him remaining injury free.
He finished his first season with Lancashire in 2018 as the fourth-highest wicket taker in Division One with 57 wickets at 21.77 and is now just eight matches shy of making 200 first-class appearances.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club so far and it was a no-brainer to sign a new contract,” Onions said. “I feel as fit as I ever have and owe a lot to the strength and conditioning team at the club for their hard work and expert advice.”
Part of the attraction of joining Lancashire was the chance to explore coaching opportunities – he holds a Level 4 qualification, the ECB’s highest certificate level – and he will continue to work with the club’s academy and age-group sides in that capacity.
“I will continue to work with the club’s up-and-coming bowlers, something which I have loved doing over the last two years,” Onions said. “There are some real talents coming through the system and I hope I can positively influence their careers. It is an exciting time to be a part of Lancashire Cricket and I am delighted to be here for at least another season.”
Lancashire’s Director of Cricket, Paul Allott describe Onions as “exceptionally skilled” with “substantial knowledge to pass on to our younger bowlers”.
“He has repeatedly proven himself as a high-class Division One bowler and we are delighted to keep him for at least another season,” Allott said. “He is the ultimate professional both on and off the field and we’re delighted to have given him further coaching opportunities with both the Lancashire academy and age-group sides, which is something that I know he’s enjoyed doing over the last couple of years.”
Source: ESPN Crickinfo