Bickers shows England what they are missing

13 April 2012

For Martin Bicknell, July was a typical sort of month in his career. He won one Championship match for Surrey with the ball, saved another with the bat, collected a winner's medal in a Lord's Final and, last but not least, he was once again ignored by the England selectors.

A two-cap wonder against Australia eight years ago, Bicknell, is a proud man with a proud record in the intervening years and his friends are not alone in wondering what more he had to do to earn the golden "phone call".

Surrey won the Benson and Hedges Cup by beating Gloucestershire at Lord's last month - their fifth trophy in five years. In that time Bicknell, the consistent spearhead of their attack, has watched with bemusement and perhaps a tinge of envy as nine county teammates have passed through England's revolving door.

Surrey provided five of England's team on Ashes duty at the Third Test and it would have been six but for Graham Thorpe being injured. Bicknell's young fast bowling partner, Alex Tudor, got the nod for Trent Bridge and seized his opportunity by taking six wickets. Bicknell, the realist that he is, accepts his last and best chance of a belated return to the Test arena has gone.

He could console himself with the thought that 32 is not old, especially when you are two months younger than Andy Caddick. He could also point to a first-class batting average, before last week's drawn match against Yorkshire, of 41.88. That includes three half-centuries and is superior to two specialist Test batsmen, Mike Atherton (39.00) and Mark Butcher (37.33).

Bicknell admitted: "It did come as a bit of a blow when I didn't get the call for the Lord's Test. There was plenty of talk that I was being considered and a lot of media guys reckoned I would be in, but it wasn't to be. It did hurt to be so close but at least I can say I had a taste of it. They obviously want younger, quicker bowlers now."

It has not been an easy season for Surrey as they attempt to hang on to the Championship pennant that has fluttered proudly over The Oval for two years. The team's form has spluttered as they have been ravaged by Test calls and long-term injuries. But they are hanging in there and one factor has been the consistent form, with bat and ball of the county's much-respected senior pro.

The man they call Bickers produced match-winning figures of seven for 60 in the Championship victory over Northants on his home wicket at Guildford and a matchsaving marathon innings of 85 not out in the draw at Leicester. He ended the month with 41 first-class wickets, at an average of 22.97.

He also completed a special hattrick of Cricketer of the Month awards. Martin Bicknell is the winner of the coveted Evening Standard Cricketer of the Month award for July, for which he receives a bronze statuette and a magnum of Veuve Cliquot champagne.

Bicknell, who won the honour in August 1998 and July 2000, will have to go some to overtake Graham Gooch's magnificent seven Cricketer of the Month awards but he is hungry for more.

"You play the game to win trophies," he commented. "And if I'm picking-up this award it means the team is winning things. Five trophies in five years is very satisfying but you want more.

"Surrey had plenty of barren years and I didn't enjoy them at all. Now we are creating a special sort of side. We've got a good squad setup but have been handicapped to an unbelievable degree and it's been difficult to deal with at times. The secret is to stay positive and keep working, then anything is possible."

He points out: "Most of England's batsmen come from Surrey and most of the bowlers come from Yorkshire. That's absolutely no coincidence. We all know The Oval is a batsman's wicket and that's probably been a hindrance for me as a swing and seam bowler. But then I think it has made me a better bowler because of the challenge and the discipline it has forced on me.

"I certainly have no regrets. I've only missed a handful of matches in the last six seasons and I strive to play every game I can. I'm aiming to top the 60 wickets I took last year."

Another target for Bicknell to chase is 1,000 career wickets. He stood on 871 at the end of July and, apart from a nagging achilles injury which could need surgery in September, he is as fit as the gangling 17-year-old who made his Surrey debut back in 1986.

Bickers became Batters in early July with a remarkable rearguard action at Leicester which gave him almost as much satisfaction as all those wickets.

Set the unlikely target of 536, Surrey were 343 for eight when Bicknell arrived at the crease with more than two-and-a-half hours left to play out time. They succeeded and finished on 478 for nine, with Bicknell 85 not out and Ian Salisbury 30 not out after an unbroken 109 lastwicket stand.

Surrey coach Keith Medlycott commented: "There couldn't be a more deserving winner of this award. Bickers is a fantastic performer and is a great influence. Everything about the guy is right."

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