Alec Stewart, the former England wicketkeeper and Surrey legend, will continue his association with the club in a new role as High-Performance Cricket Advisor from January 2025. Stewart, who stepped down as Surrey’s director of cricket last week after 11 years, will work alongside men’s head coach Gareth Batty and club captain Rory Burns to oversee the continued success of the men’s elite game.
Stewart’s appointment is a testament to his immense contribution to Surrey during his tenure as director of cricket. Under his leadership, the club won three consecutive County Championship titles and nurtured a conveyor belt of talented cricketers who have gone on to represent England. Stewart’s role in developing players such as Ollie Pope, Gus Atkinson, and Jamie Smith has been widely praised, and he will continue to advise on the Surrey Talent Pathway in his new role.
“Everyone knows my love of the club and what it means to me,” said Stewart. “I’m very pleased that the club wanted me to continue in this new role. With this new set-up, I firmly believe that we can continue the success at Surrey that we’ve seen in recent times.”
Surrey’s chair, Oli Slipper, expressed his delight at Stewart’s continued involvement with the club. “We completely understood and accepted Alec’s decision to step back from his Director of Cricket role, but we always wanted to retain his expertise and his impact at Surrey,” said Slipper. “We’ve found a role that works for all parties.”
Stewart’s appointment means that the Stewart family’s association with Surrey will extend into its eighth decade next season. His father, Micky, played for the club for 18 years and later served as manager, while his brother, Neil, is a longstanding coach in the club academy.
