Bicknell happy to be a reject

He admitted: "Golf is my passion and I hope the business is something that will sustain me when I retire from cricket."

At least he gets to travel. It was only a few years ago that England new-ball bowler Andy Caddick spent the entire winter painting the stands at Taunton's County Ground.

Bicknell added: "The best thing is that it gives me a complete break from cricket. I will step up my training after December, but I'll report back mentally fresh and ready for another good season."

A complete rest from cricket last winter helped contribute to his peak form for Surrey last season. "I was fit, and stayed fit. That's so important. Apart from that there's no secret to my game. I run up and bowl. It's not rocket science. I swing it both ways, and I've got a tried and trusted method that seems to work."

A glance at his figures in 2001 make you wonder how he has slipped so far back in the England quickbowling queue.

His 72-wicket haul was just 20 fewer than the combined tally of Yorkshire's Ryan Sidebottom, Chris Silverwood and Matthew Hoggard, who are out in Zimbabwe with England.

He also got through 748 first-class overs when that trio could only amass 727 between them as a succession of knocks, pulls and niggles kept them out for long stretches.

Bicknell's batting was also astonishing for an unheralded lower-order makeweight. He recorded 748 championship runs, including a ton and his average of almost 47 shamed most top-order batsmen.

His all-round figures made those of, say, Lancashire's Andrew Flintoff look distinctly poorly.

But for all his reluctance to leave behind the corporate golf merry-go-round and his Sunday lunchtime pint, Bicknell has not entirely kissed goodbye his international career.

Eight years have passed since he played the last two Tests of another doomed home series against the Aussies.

But with 898 first-class wickets, he is a better bowler than the 24-year-old tirowho endured an Aussie onslaught in 1993. His selection as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year for 2001 was proof of that.

He said: "If I got a recall, it would be for a home Test, in the conditions that suit me. But I'm 33 in January, so I won't hold my breath."