Alec Stewart

Exclusive INTERVIEW BY PAUL NEWMAN Alec Stewart gives a look inside BY PAUL's hard-earned reputation as Surrey's best-linching professional while commenting on his decision to walk out of the gates that bear his name at the Oval for the last time as Surrey's director of cricket. I can be seen as unemotional and perhaps even cold, but telling the players that I was stepping down was difficult,' a man synonymous with Surrey says. 'I care for those players, and being in front of them wasn't easy.' Now that I've made a decision, I'm pretty good at moving forward, and I know I'll continue to walk through those gates whether it's as a helper or whatever comes next.'

Alec Stewart, the Surrey cricket director, will step down after 11 years as Surrey's director of cricket. During his current spell at the club he has competed with distinction on and off the field, the England legend, 60, will leave the Oval at the end of the year to spend more time with his family in the hopes of adding more silverware to the three Championship titles won this summer. Surrey have also had a stellar track of producing England players under Stewart, who has seen nine players emerge through the club's pathway to full international recognition, including Ollie Pope, Sam Curran, and Will Jacks.

When England plucked spinners Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir from the fringes of the county game for the Test squad traveling India, eyebrows were raised. Mail Sport takes a look at some of England's unexpected picks from the past.