IT seemed as though another promising all-rounder had gone the way of all the others who have attempted and failed to fill Ian Botham's formidable boots. Until, that is, Botham himself stepped in to begin corrective surgery.

While it is stretching a point to say that Ronnie Irani has been 'rebuilt' since returning from New Zealand, seemingly with his international career in tatters, it is true to say he has undergone considerable changes to both his bowling and batting techniques. Essex have already benefited and so, just possibly, may England.

Even Irani's well documented self-belief was damaged by the chain of events which brought his rapid journey from second team to Test cricket to a halt, firstly when a back injury in Zimbabwe led England to call up Craig White and then when his recovery was insufficient to earn anything but a peripheral role in New Zealand. Not quick enough, they said about his bowling and too rigid, they added, when assessing his batting.

So he decided to put things right. ``I had two options,'' said Irani, outstanding in Essex's impressive start to the season. ``I could have let things go downhill and think, 'If only I'd done this or that', or I could go back to the drawing board. So I decided to start again. I've been working like mad.''

With a little help from his friends. Botham began the process on tour when he worked on a bowling action that had twice been tinkered with since Irani suffered a stress fracture of the back during the 1994 season.

``Botham spent a hell of a lot of time with me,'' said Irani. ``It was a question of getting me to use my arms, shoulders and back as one to put less pressure on my back. We sat down watching me on video and went through the film together, bit by bit. Since I came back I've been carrying on the work with Geoff Arnold and the Essex lads reckon I've added at least half a yard of pace.''

Work on a batting style which, at least at international level, relied too heavily on Irani's bottom hand had to wait. Perhaps surprisingly, no specialist advice was forthcoming from England, but it quickly came from a familiar source.

``Keith Fletcher put his arm around me when I got back and said, 'Right, what's gone wrong?' `` said Irani. ``He told me my hands should be higher, with my weight going forward into the ball. I'm also trying to bat with softer hands and I've picked it all up quickly. I really am lucky to have people like Fletch and Graham Gooch on hand to help.

``I suppose when things are going well for you, you tend not to analyse technique or worry about what you're doing wrong. But I found it extremely hard being on the outside on tour and I don't want to go through it again. I suppose I'm a stronger person for the experience, but when you're not contributing on tour you feel as though you've let everyone down.''

The 'new' Irani, a carbon-copy now of Gooch at the crease, has already contributed match-winning roles for Essex in three one-day games and added a career-best unbeaten 123 in the rain-ruined championship match against Hampshire. He says he is approaching each game as if it is his last and is showing no signs of being content with life as a big fish in the small county pool. Which is how it should be.