Surrey’s Head of Ground Staff, Lee Fortis has claimed the award for the best multi-day pitches for the third consecutive year at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) 2024 Grounds Manager of the Year Awards.
Fortis and his team at the Kia Oval earned consistently outstanding marks for their County Championship and Rothesay Test pitches during the 2024 domestic and international season to win the Bernard Flack Memorial Trophy. This is also the fourth time in total that Fortis has scooped the prize since starting his role since 2012.
The event celebrated the successes and efforts of all the ground staff involved in producing surfaces for professional cricket in England and Wales and was attended by 104 people in total, with all First-Class Counties represented.
ECB Pitch and Grounds Advisor, Andy Mackay, said: “The amount of effort, dedication and sacrifice required from the grounds teams should never be underestimated, but 2024 was an especially difficult year for most due to the consistently poor weather for much of the cricket season. It’s fantastic that we can get together to celebrate and recognise this group and the contribution they make to the game, without whom our players could not provide such a thrilling spectacle.
"The standard of pitches in white and red-ball cricket continues to be very high overall and as ever, the competition for the top spots is exceedingly tough. The award winners deserve this recognition for the consistently outstanding pitches they have produced during the summer.”
Image by: England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
