Sussex let Surrey pencil in HB talks

Rory Hamilton-Brown has been allowed to negotiate with Surrey over a return to the Brit Oval - as the county's captain

Sussex have granted Rory Hamilton-Brown permission to speak to former county Surrey about becoming their new captain.

Surrey last week made an approach for the 22-year-old, who has been at Hove for two years and has a season left on his contract, which Sussex chairman Jim May called “most unwelcome”.

Although they have allowed Hamilton-Brown to negotiate with his former employers, the Twenty20 Cup and NatWest Pro40 champions do not want to lose the all-rounder.

“The position of Sussex remains unchanged in that we have no wish to see a player of Rory's potential leave the club and our immediate aim is to agree an extended contract with him,” said May in a statement today.

“However, we recognise that to achieve this aim it is appropriate to give Rory time to talk to Surrey about their opportunity. At this stage, the club has granted permission to talk only.

“We remain strongly of the view that Rory's cricket development is best served by remaining at Sussex and we will be meeting him subsequent to his meetings with Surrey to discuss matters further.”

Surrey, however, remain hopeful and their subsequent statement read: “The club are extremely grateful to Sussex for granting us permission to talk with Rory about the possibility of him rejoining Surrey.”

The 22-year-old started his career at Surrey but played his first season at Sussex under the captaincy of Chris Adams, now the Surrey cricket manager.

Former Surrey batsman Graham Thorpe has become a batting coach at the Brit Oval as the county bid to return to Division One of the LV= County Championship.

Graham Thorpe believes Chris Adams has seen something in Hamilton-Brown's personality that makes the 22-year-old suitable for the job of captaining Surrey

Thorpe believes filling the captaincy role would be a tough task for the former England Under-19 skipper.

“Chris Adams has known Rory from his time down at Sussex,” Thorpe said.

“When he was captain there he had him so maybe it’s something he saw in his personality to feel that he’s a player Surrey should be pursuing.

“Anyone who takes on the role of Surrey captain will have a big task on their hands and he will need to be a strong leader as well.”

Thorpe also believes the number of close-season signings Surrey have made will help them improve next year after a below par showing that saw them finish seventh in Division Two of the championship.

“There’s been quite a few changes at the club this summer,” he added.

“We have lost eight or nine players from current staff and we have recruited Steven Davies, Indian leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and Gareth Batty, who is a former England off-spinner, so we have recruited three good, strong characters for the dressing room there.”