Surrey County Cricket Club has had a youth development programme in place for over a decade, but that was taken one stage further today when the county was granted Academy status by the England and Wales Cricket Board. Lasting for three years, the Academy will come into being in September 2002, and will be based alongside the senior team at The Oval.

Surrey chairman Mike Soper said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for Surrey CCC to continue its tradition of producing world class cricketers for the national team. The Academy will develop the best of our young cricketers for Surrey and England."

Chief executive Paul Sheldon added: "This is a marvellous opportunity to develop the strongest youth programme in the country. Our youth system has produced players of the calibre of Thorpe, Hollioake, Stewart, Tudor, Butcher, Ward and Brown."

Surrey will be looking for a major partner to sponsor the Academy.

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