Kurtis Patterson Joins Surrey for Three County Championship Matches

Surrey have signed Australian batter Kurtis Patterson for three County Championship matches in May to provide batting cover during the absence of several key England players. Patterson, who recently had a standout Sheffield Shield season with 743 runs for New South Wales at an average of 57.15, expressed excitement about joining Surrey and playing at the Kia Oval. He will be available for matches against Warwickshire, Yorkshire, and Essex. Alec Stewart, Surrey’s high-performance advisor, cited Patterson's quality and experience as valuable additions to the squad, especially as Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith, and Gus Atkinson are expected to be called up for England’s Test against Zimbabwe. Patterson, who has played two Tests for Australia, also impressed for Australia A earlier this year. His signing is part of a wider presence of Australian cricketers in the County Championship.