Lancashire have announced the addition of former Red Rose captain Mark Chilton to their new coaching structure.
Following the installation of Peter Moores as England head coach, skipper Glen Chapple was charged with the task of taking over the first-team reins at Emirates Old Trafford until the end of the season.
Now ex-batsman Chilton, who scored 9,556 runs with 21 centuries in 196 first-class matches and led the county for three seasons from 2005, has returned with his initial focus on overseeing the club's second XI.
The 37-year-old brought the curtain down on his playing career in 2011 when Lancashire won the LV= County Championship title for the first time in 77 years and has since obtained an ECB level 4 coaching qualification and became cricket director at Manchester Grammar School.
Lancashire cricket director Mike Watkinson said: “Following the recent changes in our coaching structure, it was vital that we had some continuity to enable us to carry on our progress.
"Mark has been doing some part-time work with the professional squad around his school commitments and has made a significant impact on the group.
“He demonstrated his leadership skills in his role of club captain and he will have a great influence on the squad. He is Lancashire through and through and had a successful career at Emirates Old Trafford.
"He hasn’t been out of the first-class game for long and is in touch with the requirements of the modern-day cricketer.
“We are delighted to welcome him back and look forward to him working with the squad, where his initial focus will be on the Second XI along with some specialist coaching duties.”
Chilton added: “I am thrilled at the prospect of returning to LCCC. We have an exciting crop of emerging young players and I am looking forward to working with them.”