LONDON (AFP)
England allrounder Ben Hollioake has agreed a new one-year deal with Surrey, ending speculation that he would move to rivals Warwickshire. But he has not tied himself long-term to Surrey, receiving the 12-month deal he asked for rather than the three-year contract Surrey originally offered. However, because he is on tour with England in New Zealand, Hollioake has yet to sign on the dotted line.

"There were a couple of points they hadn't agreed on but that's all sorted, it has been verbally agreed," Surrey communication manager John Grave said Tuesday. "All the terms have been agreed on a one-year contract. Geography means he hasn't physically signed, but all parties are committed to the deal."

Warwickshire and Surrey both offered the 24-year-old Hollioake a three-year deal, but he has only ever signed contracts on a season-by-season basis. "We were originally after a three-year contract but he has historically only signed one-year deals. This is his fifth one-year deal," added Grave. "Last year, because of form, we only offered him a one-year deal."

Hollioake has long been viewed as a player of enormous promise. But after making his Test debut against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1997, he was given just one more Test, at The Oval against Sri Lanka, the following year before dropping out of England's five-day plans. However, he has appeared in 20 one-day internationals, the latest the fourth match against India at Kanpur last month.

But his form has so far failed to match his natural ability as a record of 309 runs at 20.60 and eight wickets at an expensive 66.50 indicates.

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