Surrey confirm Lee Fortis departure as head groundsman

Surrey's long-serving head groundsman Lee Fortis has left the club, after he was placed on indefinite leave earlier this summer.

Fortis was appointed head groundsman at The Oval in 2012 and has recently updated his LinkedIn profile to say that he is open to work after his employment with Surrey ended last month. A Surrey spokesperson told Cricinfo: "Lee Fortis has left the club and we wish him well for the future."

Fortis was involved in a heated row, reportedly with an ECB employee, on a training day during the Hundred in late July, before MI London hosted London Spirit at The Oval. The Telegraph reported that he then had a "robust conversation" with Steve Elworthy, Surrey's chief executive.

Surrey initially explained Fortis' subsequent absence by saying that he had taken an unusual mid-season break, but he was later reported to have been on indefinite leave pending disciplinary proceedings. The club have not confirmed or denied any further details about his departure.

The Oval is due to host two prominent Test matches next summer: the ICC World Test Championship final (June 9-13) and the fifth Ashes Test (July 29-August 2). Fortis's departure means that it will do so with a new head groundsman.

Fortis was regularly described as "world-class groundsman" by Alec Stewart, Surrey's director of cricket, and won the Bernard Flack Memorial Trophy for the best multi-day pitches at the ECB Grounds Manager of the Year awards three years in a row between 2022 and 2024, coinciding with Surrey's three successive County Championship titles.

He also came to prominence during India's tour to England in 2025, when he was involved in an altercation with India head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir repeatedly told Fortis he was "just a groundsman, nothing more" while batting coach Sitanshu Kotak later described his behaviour as "a bit arrogant".

As well as a new head groundsman, Surrey are also on the lookout for a new men's head coach after Gareth Batty resigned to take up a new role as an assistant coach Chennai Super Kings. There is also a vacancy for the same role at MI London, following Kieron Pollard's promotion to the top job at Mumbai Indians.