Surrey County Cricket Club has announced the departure of their long-standing head groundsman, Lee Fortis. Fortis, who joined the club in 2012, recently updated his LinkedIn profile indicating he is seeking new opportunities after ending his tenure with Surrey last month. A club spokesperson stated, “Lee Fortis has left the club and we wish him well for the future.”
Fortis found himself embroiled in a dispute, allegedly involving a representative from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), during the Hundred tournament this past July. This incident reportedly led to a “robust conversation” with Steve Elworthy, Surrey’s chief executive. Initially, the club mentioned that Fortis was on an unusual mid-season break, but it later emerged he was on indefinite leave pending disciplinary procedures. Surrey have not provided further details on his departure.
Next summer, The Oval is slated to host two significant Test matches: the ICC World Test Championship final from June 9th to 13th and the Ashes fifth Test from July 29th to August 2nd. Fortis’s exit means these events will proceed under the direction of a new head groundsman.
Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket, frequently characterised Fortis as a “world-class groundsman.” Fortis was awarded the Bernard Flack Memorial Trophy for excellence in multi-day pitches at the ECB Grounds Manager of the Year awards for three consecutive years between 2022 and 2024, coinciding with Surrey clinching three straight County Championship titles.
Fortis also gained attention during India’s tour to England in 2025 after a notable clash with India’s head coach, Gautam Gambhir, who belittled him as “just a groundsman, nothing more.” Sitanshu Kotak, India’s batting coach, later described Fortis’s demeanour as “a bit arrogant.”
In addition to appointing a new head groundsman, Surrey are searching for a men’s head coach following Gareth Batty’s resignation to join Chennai Super Kings as an assistant coach. MI London is also on the hunt for a head coach after Kieron Pollard’s advancement to head coach at Mumbai Indians.
