Dom Sibley leaves Warwickshire to make Surrey return

A former academy graduate at the Kia Oval, the England opener returns after five-and-a-half years at Edgbaston

Dom Sibley is to leave Warwickshire for a new start at Surrey.

Sibley, who has scored two Test centuries for England as an opener, started his career at the Kia Oval but moved to Edgbaston towards the end of the 2017 season.

While he has enjoyed prolific form for Warwickshire - he averages 44.42 for them in first-class cricket - he has become frustrated by his inability to break into their T20 side and declined to sign the new contract that was offered to him over the winter. 

Although it seems unlikely he will break into the Surrey T20 team, he retains family links with the area and recently bought a home in London. This move has been anticipated for some months.

"I'm really excited to be returning home after five years," he said. "It feels great and I’ll be hoping to make match-winning performances that contribute to success and trophies."

His return to Surrey demonstrates the club's ambitions in LV= Insurance County Championship cricket.

He could well form an opening partnership with Rory Burns, with whom he has opened with for England on many occasions, and, aged 26, retains ambitions of regaining a place in the Test team.

^{Sibley is bidding to reclaim the England Test place be lost during the home India Test series (Stu Forster/Getty Images)}

Sibley left Surrey in 2017, turning down a three-year deal, after seeking assurances that he would bat in the top three in all formats. Alec Stewart, Surrey's director of cricket, said it was "bitterly disappointing".

In 2013, he became the second-youngest Englishman, behind WG Grace, to make a first-class double-hundred, 242, against Yorkshire at the Kia Oval.

He had just turned 18 three weeks before, and the following week returned to Whitgift School in Croydon to complete his studies.

Stewart added: "I'm very pleased to be bringing Dom back to the Kia Oval. I made no secret at the time that I didn't want him to leave but the move to Warwickshire worked out well for him as he earned England selection.

"I truly believe his best years are still ahead of him and his proven run-scoring ability will add even more strength to our current group of players. I look forward to watching him score big runs again in a Surrey shirt and it’s great for the Club to have 'one of our own' back with us at the Kia Oval."

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