ANDY Bichel is a rare breed -- tough, uncompromising and reliable -- he is a player who is more valuable to his team mates than mere statistics, someone who you would choose to bat or bowl for your life.

Little wonder that Tom Moody is tickled pink at securing the Queenslander's services at New Road for a third season of county cricket this summer.

And with the South African, Andrew Hall, also returning to Worcestershire, no other county side can lay claim to having two of the best all-rounders in world cricket in their ranks.

After his axing from the Australian one-day squad for the recent VB (Victoria Bitter) series, against India and Zimbabwe, and the tour of Sri Lanka, Bichel is determined to move on with his career as well as his life.

He made his Test and one-day international debut in 1997, but has spent as much time carrying the drinks as he has playing.

Nineteen Tests and 19 selections as 12th man have built Bichel's reputation as one of the most unselfish players ever to wear the 'Baggy Green' cap of Australia.

Worcestershire's offer came at exactly the right time for Bichel, who topped the County's first class and one-day averages in 2002. He proved himself to be a genuine all-rounder two years ago, and is determined to play his part in winning trophies this summer.

"Worcestershire have gone forward as a team since 2002 and it's important that we don't just aim to stay in the first division of the County Championship this summer.

"I want to be successful in both one-day and four-day cricket and together we need to build on the performances of the past two seasons."

Moody, who was also a top class all-rounder for Australia, is a man who understands the mentality of Australian cricketers better than anyone else in the county game.

Bichel needed no convincing when the Worcestershire coach came knocking on his door. "Tom has some great ideas about cricket and he has that 'win at all cost' Australian approach to the game," said Bichel. "He is energetic, up front with the players and he knows how to motivate them. Although he might occasionally work the players a bit too hard, he also knows when we need a rest."

The timing of Bichel's arrival at New Road is dependent on whether or not he is selected for Australia's Test match tour of Sri Lanka in March. But the one certainty is that when he arrives he expects to play as many matches as he can.

"In recent months I missed important matches for Queensland because I was selected to play for Australia.

"Before the start of the one-day series with Indian and Zimbabwe, I felt that I had no momentum because I had been under-bowled in the Test matches.

"But I am looking forward to taking the new ball and batting up the order for Worcestershire."

In the past Bichel has come across as the quiet man of the Australian team. Rarely is his image flashed across television screens or on the back of breakfast cereal packets.

He is never abusive to um-pires and has kept out of the media spotlight. The Bichel cricket philosophy has always been to let his cricket do the talking.

After the 2003 World Cup he was selected as the fourth fast bowler for the Australian Test tour of the Caribbean and Steve Waugh, who was then captain, admitted that Bichel had been under bowled during the four Test series.

But by then Bichel was content to let his bowling do the talking.

"I was happy with my performances on the West Indies tour. I got Brian Lara's wicket seven times," Bichel said. "Including twice in the third Test."

With a record like that against arguably the world's greatest batsman, Worcestershire supporters can expect Bichel to be a key player in their team's bid for one-day and championship glory this year.