Surrey groundsman Lee Fortis who tiffed with Gautam Gambhir in 2025 put on leave after row with ECB employee

Surrey groundsman Lee Fortis who tiffed with Gautam Gambhir in 2025 put on leave after row with ECB employee originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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Surrey's head groundsman Lee Fortis has been placed on leave following a heated argument with an ECB employee.

The incident took place during Hundred preparations at the Oval, involving Fortis and a member of the ground staff.

Fortis previously drew attention for clashing with India coach Gautam Gambhir over pitch conditions in 2025.

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In trouble again! Surrey groundsman Lee Fortis, who clashed with Gautam Gambhir, put on leave after a heated ECB row

Surrey's head groundsman Lee Fortis has reportedly been sidelined from his role at the Oval after a heated confrontation with an ECB staff member.

According to The Telegraph, the incident unfolded on July 28, the day before MI London and London Spirit trained ahead of their Hundred fixture at the Oval.

Fortis was seen arguing with an ECB employee who was helping prepare the ground for the match, and the confrontation reportedly left the employee in tears.

Shortly afterwards, Fortis was spotted having a tense exchange with Surrey chief executive Steve Elworthy in the middle of the ground, a conversation that ended with Fortis walking off the field. He hasn't been seen at the south London venue since, and it remains unclear whether or when he'll return to the role. Some figures within English cricket reportedly believe a comeback is unlikely at this stage.

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A Surrey spokesperson kept their response brief, saying, "Matters involving the Club and its employees are private and confidential, and therefore it would not be appropriate to comment."

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Why is Lee Fortis already a familiar name in cricket?

Standing at roughly 6ft 10in, Fortis is a hard figure to miss on any cricket ground, and he's no stranger to controversy either. Last year, he found himself at the centre of media attention following a heated disagreement with India head coach Gautam Gambhir over pitch conditions.

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During that clash, Gambhir reportedly told him, "You're just a groundsman, nothing beyond that." India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak later described Fortis as "arrogant" in the aftermath.

Interestingly, on the same day as this latest incident, Fortis is also believed to have had a separate run-in with a member of London Spirit's backroom staff, although that particular altercation isn't thought to be connected to his current absence.

Fortis has served as head groundsman at the Oval since 2012, having landed the prestigious position at just 30 years old. His work hasn't gone unnoticed either, having won the ECB's Grounds Manager of the Year award three years running, from 2022 to 2024.

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It was a stretch that coincided with Surrey claiming the County Championship title in all three of those seasons.

Beyond the groundstaff issue, Surrey find themselves deep in a relegation battle as the season heads into its final stretch. They've lost three of their last four matches and entered this latest round sitting just three points clear of the drop zone.

Even the return of Ollie Pope from England duty couldn't prevent them from being bowled out for 183 on day one against Essex at Chelmsford, with the hosts closing on 10 for one by stumps.

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Why Surrey can't afford this distraction right now

Losing a groundsman of Fortis's calibre, particularly one who's delivered three consecutive top domestic honours, would be a significant setback for any club.

But the timing here makes it especially damaging. With Ashes cricket and a WTC final on the horizon, the Oval's pitch quality will be under the scanner from multiple cricket boards and broadcasters worldwide, not just domestic audiences.

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Fortis's history of clashes, first with Gambhir and now with an ECB staff member, does raise legitimate questions about workplace conduct that Surrey will need to address seriously, regardless of his undeniable talent for pitch preparation. Clubs can't simply excuse repeated confrontations because someone happens to be good at their job, and how Surrey handles this internally will say a lot about their broader culture.

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At the same time, it's worth acknowledging the pressure ground staff face given cricket's increasingly packed calendar, especially at venues without a proper second home to ease scheduling strain.

That context doesn't excuse confrontational behaviour, but it does help explain why tensions might be running unusually high behind the scenes. Whatever happens next, Surrey now face the tricky task of managing both a relegation fight and a major staffing headache simultaneously, with precious little room for further distractions.

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