Essex have announcd batter Dan Lawrence will join Surrey at the end of the 2023 season.

Lawrence exercised his right to talk to other counties after turning down a very strong three-year contract proposed by the club prior to June 1.

The 25-year-old has been part of the Essex team which has challenged for major honours year-on-year since the club gained promotion to Division One in 2016 but has now agreed terms to join Surrey ahead of the 2024 campaign.

Lawerence is a product of the club’s thriving player pathway and is one of four players to have graduated through the Essex Academy and play Test cricket for England after Alastair Cook, Tom Westley and Ben Foakes. 

Following his first-class debut in 2015 against Kent in the County Championship, Lawrence recorded his maiden century when scoring 161 runs in the next game at The Oval. He has gone on to make 202 appearances for the club in his nine seasons as a professional.

Lawrence has now joined up with England for the beginning of England’s Ashes Series and will also captain the London Spirit in this year’s edition of The Hundred, before returning to Chelmsford and being available for selection for the remainder of the 2023 season.

“It is with a heavy heart that I will be leaving Essex CCC at the end of this season," he said.

"I joined the Essex set up at 14 and have been playing in the Essex League since I was 10 years old. Essex is the county who taught me how to play the game, developed me as a person and allowed me to play the sport I love professionally. 

"Essex enabled my childhood dreams to come true, and I will never be able to thank everyone involved with Essex cricket enough for their contributions to allow a boy from Chingford to live out his childhood dream.

“At the beginning of next season, I will be taking the field for a new team. At this stage of my career, I believe a move to the Oval offers a new challenge and would hugely benefit my own ambitions. 

“I want to express my deepest appreciation to everyone at Essex, from the coaching staff to my teammates and the passionate fans who are family to me. Your belief in me has been a constant source of inspiration and a huge part of my development. As I embark on this new chapter, I kindly ask for your continued support.

“Thank you, Essex, for everything. The memories and lessons learned will forever hold a cherished place in my heart.”

Essex head coach Anthony McGrath added: “Dan has expressed his desire to move to Surrey which we accept after turning down our contract offer. He has been an important part of our achievements in recent years, and we are all proud of his progression to the international stage, which includes the opportunity to play in the Ashes this summer. 

“He is an exemplar of the success that Essex’s Academy has had in producing homegrown cricketers who go on to represent their club and country. 

“We’re excited about the youngsters who are on their own journeys to the bigger things at Essex who can replicate Dan’s progression into the First Team setup in the coming years.

“Dan still has a role to play in the remainder of the season as we strive for silverware across all formats. He is dedicated to working towards our aims this season as a club and will still be available for selection around his other commitments.”