Ramprakash signs new contract

Mark Ramprakash has signed a two year extension to his contract with Surrey County Cricket Club, taking his professional career until 2011.

The batsman, who during the 2008 season became just the 25th player to score 100 first-class centuries, has a first-class average of 75.06 for Surrey.

635613

Since joining the club in 2001 – and scoring 146 on his first-class debut against Kent – Ramprakash, 39, has managed 50 centuries, 37 fifties and totalled 12,085 runs.

While at Surrey he has averaged over 50 in seven of his eight seasons – including in 2006 and 2007, when he achieved the incredible feat of averaging more than 100 for two consecutive years.

The crowning glory of these statistics came on August 2 last year, when during an LV County Championship match at Headingley he notched 106 not out, becoming the 25th man to join the legendary 'Hundred Hundreds' club, which includes the likes of Sir Jack Hobbs, Sir Donald Bradman, Sir Vivian Richards and Geoffrey Boycott.

After signing his new deal, Ramprakash spoke of his desire to act as a role model and work with the next generation of batsmen to come through the Surrey ranks.

"I have had a fantastic career up until now but still feel like I have much more to give," he said. "There are a huge amount of runs left in me and I look forward to helping shape a new era of Surrey cricket, both at the crease and in the dressing room.

"Surrey have a number of exciting young batsmen and it's now down to me and other experienced players at the club to work with the management team to help them use their talent and succeed in the professional game."

Chris Adams, Surrey's recently appointed Professional Cricket Manager added: "Mark's record in recent years has been simply staggering and I am over the moon that he has decided to extend his career with us.

"Statistics like those he has accumulated throughout his career simply do not lie and I look forward to watching him score thousands more runs and working with him to secure Surrey's future as a successful Club for many years to come."