Warwickshire County Cricket Club has appointed its former County Championship-winning Captain Jim Troughton as First Team Coach.

Troughton (37) has been an Assistant Coach at the club since retiring from playing in 2014 and will oversee all Warwickshire and Birmingham Bears men’s first team matters and will be supported in this new role by Club Captain Ian Bell, Bowling Coach Alan Richardson and Batting & Second Team Coach Tony Frost as part of a new structure for the club.

Neil Snowball, Chief Executive of Warwickshire CCC, said: “Jim is widely recognised as one of the finest leaders in the Club’s history and the team made outstanding progress during his time as captain.

“He has been a Bear since the age of 11 and so understands the unique culture of the club and has worked closely with our captain Ian Bell for many years as a player and coach. We are very confident that they will form a strong partnership to take the team forward.

“Jim has continued to demonstrate his leadership qualities since moving into coaching and, in accepting this new role, he will take control of all matters relating to the senior men’s squad including preparations for the new season and our pre-season tour to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. This is a key appointment for the club that has been made both with a focus on the 2017 season but also with an eye to the future and we look forward to Jim working closely with our new Director of Cricket once he has been appointed.”

Troughton enjoyed a 14-year playing career with the Bears and was named as Captain ahead of the 2011 season, finishing as very close runners-up in his first season as skipper before leading the Bears to a seventh County Championship and a one-day cup final at Lord’s in 2012.

Injury forced Troughton to retire from playing prematurely in 2014, and he has since worked as Assistant Coach and recently completed his ECB Level 4 coaching qualification.

Jim Troughton said: “Having grown up as a Bear and spent all of my cricketing life at Edgbaston, Warwickshire CCC obviously means a huge amount to me and to take this next step in my career as First Team Coach is a great honour.

“We boast a strong squad that contains a good blend of experienced international cricketers and exciting, young talent, which should be capable of challenging in all three formats of the game.

“I’m very excited by the challenge ahead and helping this great club achieve more success in the future.”