London, Sep 10 (IANS): Josh Blake will leave Surrey at the end of the 2026 season after signing a multi-year contract with another county, the club said on Thursday.
Blake, who signed his first professional contract with Surrey in 2022 at the age of 23, featured for Three Feathers 45 times. The wicket-keeper has been a mainstay of the One Day Cup side in recent years, with more than 1,000 runs in the competition.
Blake’s route to the professional game is a rare one, having dropped out of the Surrey pathway at U15s. Determined to succeed in the game, Blake continued playing for Sutton CC in the Surrey Championship. In the winters of 2017 and 2018, he worked in Australia and played for Sydney Shires to continue developing his game.
He spent four years working as a community coach for the Surrey Cricket Foundation whilst continuing to play for Sutton. He earned an opportunity in the Surrey Second XI in 2021 before securing his contract to join the First XI squad.
Blake said, “It has been an honour to represent my boyhood Club for the last four years and I’m hugely grateful to everyone at Surrey for giving me the opportunity to play professional cricket and prove myself in the county game.
“I never gave up on my dream of making a career out of playing the game and I have made some incredible memories that will stay with me for a long, long time.
“Whilst it is difficult to move on from the county that I first represented as a nine-year-old, I believe that this is the best opportunity for me to continue to progress my career and to develop as a cricketer. I remain totally committed to Surrey until the end of the season but I am excited about my future in the game.”
Alec Stewart, Director of Men’s Cricket, said, “Josh is a shining example for every cricketer out there that hard-work, commitment and dedication can earn you a route into the pro game. He’s earnt the chance that he’s had here at Surrey but it makes sense for him to take the opportunity to play regular First Team cricket in all formats.
“I want to thank Josh for his time at the Club and wish him the very best for the future at his new county.”
