Date-stamped : 02 May96 - 14:15 Surrey: Gilbert`s know-how can lead to one-day dividend By Geoffrey Dean LAST SEASON, yet again, Surrey failed to do themselves justice, producing "desperately disappointing performances", in the words of their director of cricket, Mike Edwards. They failed to threaten in any of the four competitions, and even propped up the championship table in mid-July. There are positive signs, however, that the county have a rea- sonable chance of ending the trophy drought that extends back to 1982. The championship can almost certainly be discounted given the lack of a top-class spinner, but the one-day knock-out competitions appear winnable. Most importantly, troubled times off the field look, at last, to have come to an end. The "rancour and discontent" which, on Edwards`s admission, was prevalent at the end of last season, has been replaced by a huge sense of optimism following the appointments of Dave Gilbert as coach/manager and Paul Sheldon as chief executive. A new management structure is in place with Edwards keeping his job-title but with a mandate geared more towards development. Gilbert, 35, who played the last of his nine Tests 10 years ago, arrived from Australia in late February having been as- sistant coach at Queensland. Intelligent and likeable, he has al- ready made an impression with the players, who are said to be responding well to his man-management. Each has had hour-long one-on-one session with him. "I think you`ll see a Surrey side that are unrecognisable from the past," Gilbert declared. "I don`t believe the en- vironment here in the last couple of years was a very happy one. With people at loggerheads with each other, you tend to do as little as possible." Gilbert has concentrated on trying to build up the team spirit. "It may be a cliched statement, but we`re working everything round the team. From what I can ascertain Surrey have wilted under pressure in the past, because, when it`s really been on, they haven`t been a team and have taken soft options. When you have a buoyant team spirit, people dig deeper and see through adversity." Whatever the strength of team spirit, Surrey will need greater luck with their seam bowlers. Martin Bicknell missed a half, and Joey Benjamin a third, of last year`s championship pro- gramme. In addition Tony Pigott was out for the second part of the season. Only in the last championship match was the county able to field its three front-line seamers. "Carl Rackemann felt he was the best fast-bowling prospect of his age he`d seen, and I`d have to agree with him," says Gilbert. This week`s signing as overseas player of Brendon Julian, who has played seven Tests, is a major boost. Gilbert rates him the best all-rounder in Australia. Left-arm and fast-medium, he will give the attack variety and his batting will strengthen the lower order. Both Benjamin and Martin Bicknell have proved their fitness in pre-season training, the former following an operation in the winter on a cracked ankle. New signing Chris Lewis has fitted in well and has been bowling quickly in the nets, although his one-year contract will not be confirmed until April 22. By that time Surrey have stipulated that he must have played four one-day practice matches, bowling his full complement of overs without reaction. Gilbert also has high hopes of the 18-year-old quick bowler Alex Tudor. "Carl Rackemann felt he was the best fast-bowling prospect of his age he`d seen, and I`d have to agree with him," says Gilbert. The spin department, although "immature" in Gilbert`s view, has been strengthened by the signing of Richard Pearson, a former Cambridge Blue from Essex, following a recommendation from fellow off-spinner Peter Such. Richard Nowell, 20 and left- arm orthodox, spent the winter in South Africa and should im- prove on his 32 championship wickets at 39 last season. The batting will need to perform significantly better than last season, when it was far too inconsistent. No one finished in the top 50 in the first-class averages, despite the bland Oval pitches that gave minimal assistance to bowlers. Some senior batsmen failed to show enough responsibility and many of the best performances came from less- experi- enced players, notably Adam Hollioake and the wicketkeeper Gra- ham Kersey. Hollioake, like Ally Brown and Mark Butcher, passed 1,000 runs and proved an able stand-in captain. Kersey made 700 runs and was voted Player of the Year, having also kept very well. A top six championship place looks feasible if the Oval pitches have a little more pace and carry. Gilbert says he sympathises with the groundsman Paul Brind`s lack of time to prepare county pitches, but has asked for more time to be al- located for rolling. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http.//www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by Shash (shs2@*.cwru.edu)