England batter Dan Lawrence is swapping Essex for Surrey at the end of the season after agreeing a three-year deal with the reigning county champions.
Essex said that Lawrence “exercised his right to talk to other counties” after turning down a three-year contract with the county.
The 25-year-old has won 11 Test caps and is part of the current Ashes squad, but he will be hoping his switch to the Kia Oval can further enhance his international prospects.
Lawrence, who made his Essex debut as a 17-year-old and became the championship’s third youngest centurion in 2015, has scored 5,898 runs in 112 first-class appearances with 13 hundreds.
His aggressive style has also brought success in short-form cricket and he boasts a strike-rate of 140.16 in T20 cricket.
On his decision, Dan Lawrence said: “It is with a heavy heart that I will be leaving Essex CCC at the end of this season. I joined the Essex set up at 14 and have been playing in the Essex league since I was 10 years old.
“Essex is the county who taught me how to play the game, developed me as a person and allowed me to play the sport I love professionally.
“Essex enabled my childhood dreams to come true, and I will never be able to thank everyone involved with Essex cricket enough for their contributions to allow a boy from Chingford to live out his childhood dream.
“At the beginning of next season, I will be taking the field for a new team, Surrey CCC. At this stage of my career, I believe a move to the Oval offers a new challenge and would hugely benefit my own ambitions.
“I want to express my deepest appreciation to everyone at Essex, from the coaching staff to my teammates and the passionate fans who are family to me. Your belief in me has been a constant source of inspiration and a huge part of my development. As I embark on this new chapter, I kindly ask for your continued support.
“Thank you, Essex, for everything. The memories and lessons learned will forever hold a cherished place in my heart.”
The Brown Caps’ director of cricket, former England captain Alec Stewart, was enthused about the latest addition to his star-studded squad.
“I first saw Dan play as a 17-year-old when he scored 161 against us in just his second first-class game, and it was obvious he had the potential to become a very special player.
“When a player of his calibre becomes available, the opportunity to bring him to the club was something I was exceptionally keen to try and make happen.
“After just a couple of conversations it was apparent, he wants to fulfil his ambitions of being the very best player he can be and become an England regular in all formats.”
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