Onions spent the majority of his playing career at Chester-le-Street, making over 250 appearances across all formats between 2004 and 2017 and taking 527 first-class wickets – a haul bettered by only Chris Rushworth
Graham Onions is returning to Durham as lead bowling coach.
He will step into the shoes vacated by former teammate Neil Killeen, who left Durham in January to become the ECB's men's elite pace bowling coach, and will begin his role in January 2024.
Onions spent the majority of his playing career at Chester-le-Street, making over 250 appearances across all formats between 2004 and 2017 and taking 527 first-class wickets – a haul bettered by only Chris Rushworth.
While at Durham, Onions won three County Championship titles between 2008 and 2013 as well as the One-Day Cup (2014).
He finished his career at Lancashire, helping them to the Division Two title in 2019.
Onions spent the majority of his professional career at Durham [Stu Forster/Getty Images]
Onions won three County Championships with Durham [Stu Forster/Getty Images]
Upon his retirement at the end of 2020, he joined then Lancashire head coach Glen Chapple's staff as bowling coach having previously worked with the academy the back end of his playing career.
In 2023, with Chapple and assistant coach Carl Crowe involved in The Hundred, Onions served as interim first-team head coach during the One-Day Cup, overseeing Lancashire's run to the quarter-finals.
"I am grateful and excited for the opportunity to come back to the county where it all started as a player," Onions said. "I'm really looking forward to working with a talented group of players and also the opportunity to develop my own coaching with some exciting coaches."
On his time at Lancashire, he added: "I have loved my time at Lancashire as both a player and most recently as bowling coach.
"The time is right for me to move back to the North East to be around my family more often, but I will always be grateful for the six years I have spent at Emirates Old Trafford."
Durham's director of cricket, Marcus North, added: "His 14-year playing career at Durham and understanding of our club's culture and the North East cricketing landscape is a huge advantage in his arrival back to Durham.
"We have an exciting group of bowlers at Durham and we believe this appointment is key to the development and success of this group. Graham will also play a leading role with Nathan Rimmington in overseeing our pathway talent."
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