Marsh forgoes IPL riches, signs Surrey deal

Western Australia captain Mitchell Marsh will forgo Indian Premier League riches in a bid to improve his red-ball game after signing with English county side Surrey for the 2018 season.

Marsh, on his 26th birthday, was announced as Surrey's overseas player for next year's English domestic season on Friday.

Subject to national commitments, Marsh will be available in all three formats for the London-based club and he will head to the United Kingdom following the conclusion of the 2017-18 Australian domestic summer.

"I'm extremely excited to join Surrey for the 2018 season. The opportunity to challenge myself in English conditions is something I can’t wait for," said Marsh.

"I have followed the team closely this year and hopefully I’ll be able to contribute to some silverware, along with helping a young squad grow and improve.

"The opportunity to work with Michael di Venuto and Alec Stewart is also very exciting. Bring on 2018!"

Marsh, who will lead the Warriors in the JLT One-Day Cup final against South Australia on Saturday, is set to link up with former Australia batting mentor and current Surrey coach Michael di Venuto.

He has sizable shoes to fill as the team's overseas player; Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara last season struck a County Championship-leading 1,491 runs at 106.50 including eight centuries for Surrey.

Fellow Australia players Aaron Finch and Moises Henriques also represented the club during the 2017 northern summer.

"I’m very pleased to announce the signing of Mitch Marsh, a highly talented, exciting and motivated international all-rounder," Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart said.

"His all-round abilities and experience will add great balance and depth to our squad in all formats of the game and I look forward to welcoming him to The Oval for the start of next season."

Marsh is still recovering from shoulder surgery having been flown home from Australia's Qantas Tour of India in March. 

He is playing in the JLT Cup as a batsman only and is targeting a return to bowling in time for the Perth Scorchers' KFC Big Bash League campaign. 

The hard-hitting right-hander is hoping the layoff from bowling could work to benefit his batting which has fallen under the microscope of critics in recent years.

"It's obviously gives me a chance to work on my batting which has been great," Marsh said last week.

"As soon as I'm right to go I'll always be an allrounder as long as I play cricket.

"But at the end of the day if I'm going to play cricket for Australia I have to be the sixth best batsman for Australia batting at No.6. So I understand that."