Surrey Groundsman Lee Fortis Placed on Leave After New Incident

Lee Fortis, the groundsman for Surrey, has been placed on leave after a recent confrontation with an employee of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) at The Oval. This incident occurred on July 28, during preparations for a Hundred fixture, and reportedly left the ECB employee in tears.

Following the altercation, Surrey's chief executive, Steve Elworthy, was seen discussing the matter with Fortis on the field. Since then, Fortis has not returned to The Oval, and it remains uncertain if he will resume his duties. Some sources suggest he may not return to his role.

Fortis previously gained attention for a heated exchange with India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir during a Test match at The Oval last year, where the disagreement centered on the pitch conditions. Fortis has been the head groundsman since 2012 and has won the ECB's Grounds Manager of the Year award multiple times.