I keep going back to Andrew Strauss, a perfect example of somebody who had learned his game and relearned it, understood it so that when he went into Test cricket at 27 he just carried on playing. He was a mature cricketer, and I think the Championship is the place to do that."Knight was so animated in discussing this, so fervent and genuine, that you understood two things. First, that Bell has a talent we should not mess with, and secondly that maybe, even though Knight was 25 when he went to England for the first time, his Test career at least was not as fulfilled as it might have been.Before he was elevated to the position permanently, Knight had led Warwickshire a few times. It was generally felt he was not tactically on the button, and he concedes that he was probably too wrapped up in his own game at the time.

In any case, he is unconvinced of the need for profound tactical thinking as a county captain.Rather, he has invoked his middle name in his approach to the role. His father and his brother are also called Verity, because the great Yorkshire and England left-arm spin bowler Hedley Verity was a distant relation of the family on his father's side.He deals strictly in verities with his players. "What is most important is that I create an environment where all my players know where they stand when they walk out on to the pitch. It is creating much more competitive cricket more often, and it's finding out the less competitive teams and players."Such an analysis has to be accompanied by some caveats, the list of which is topped by Kolpak players, with the promotion and relegation system just underneath. The area of tactics is probably given more percentage points than I think counts. I accept I've only been doing it a year and might think differently, but I believe the most important aspect is to establish trust and create a team environment where you understand everybody and how to get the best out of them."Nobody likes dropping anybody, but it has to be done, and when it is I'm frank. There's no bullshitting from the captain about where they stand in the club They either agree or disagree, but there it is.

I haven't taken the job to be Mr Popular."One thing I try to pride myself on is an upfront nature and honesty and dealing with issues. So what I advocate is don't chuck them in so early, because county cricket has so much to offer, far more than some people might think Take Ian Bell, who I'm always being asked about. Belly is going to be an extremely fine player and is now emerging. But I still say it wouldn't actually do him any harm to have another county season."People tend to suggest that I would say that because I'm Warwickshire captain and want us to win the Championship Well, of course I do, but that's rubbish.

I want Bell to be successful for England for the rest of his career, and when he goes off I don't want to see him back at this club ever again."I just think he's got a little bit more learning to do in dealing with the wider cricketing issues. It's not about playing a great cover drive or bowling a delightful off-cutter, it's about dealing with the good times and the bad times and all the things that go with cricket. There is still a comfort zone in some cases, but the fact is that people want to get points out of each game and every game counts for something. I think that has a natural effect on the players."But three up, three down is beginning to make for some attritional cricket in an age when Test cricket has become coruscating entertainment There can be no room for dullness.

It is fashionable to look back 40 or 50 years to a postwar golden age, but the truth is that it was in those seasons that county cricket first began to expire. The county cricket played then (not to mention some of the Test cricket) was woeful in its refusal to entertain, and the game cannot afford a repeat. Knight is fairly sure it will not get one - if they reduce the number of counties relegated.Having been there for 17 Tests and 100 one-day internationals, he is firmly aware, despite his long-term county strategy, that England is where all English cricketers' bread is buttered. Without a strong England the counties would be in bigger trouble than many suggest they are already."I think the Championship is the place to learn how to play cricket, to come to know your game," Knight said. "What worries me about English cricket is that sometimes young players get chucked in so early [to the England team], they have to learn a hard lesson and then go back into county cricket for 18 months and get back in again. "What we tried to do was win the first innings and then go on and push for victory, because it's very hard to win a game if you're hugely behind. But the fact is I didn't worry too much about relegation and wouldn't until the last few matches, because you can win the last two, get 40 points and move up from third bottom to third top."I actually think standards have improved because of the competitive nature.