Surrey chief denies row over new skipper Batty

Surrey chief executive Paul Sheldon today rejected suggestions that some of the county's senior players are opposed to new captain Jon Batty.

"These rumours are totally groundless," Sheldon said.

"Someone has caught hold of a story that the players are going to attend a meeting to discuss the captain's position but I can categorically state that this issue won't be discussed. Jon Batty was present at the annual meeting last night and no one raised the subject of his captaincy."

Martin Bicknell, Alastair Brown, Mark Ramprakash and Ian Salisbury were thought to be ahead of Batty, 29, to take over from Adam Hollioake, who will retire at the end of next summer.