New Delhi, April 14 : Surrey's players are sporting black armbands on the last day of their Division One County Championship match against Hampshire after Alec Stewart's wife Lynn died on Monday. The side also decided to fly their flags at half-mast above the Micky Stewart Members Pavilion, at its home venue the Oval, as a mark of respect.

Stewart, the former England captain, left his role as Surrey's director of cricket after the side won its third County Championship title last season, citing that he needed to spend time with family and support Lynn, who had been in a long battle with breast cancer since 2013.

"As people may know, my wife has been battling cancer since 2013 and I want to give her, and my family, more of my time over the coming years than this job allows," Stewart had said on the Surrey website in March 2024.

Stewart, though, remained a part of Surrey in a part-time role as High-Performance Cricket Advisor, and would work for fixed days in a year, while overseeing the success of the side alongside head coach Gareth Batty and club captain Rory Burns. 'The sincere condolences of everyone at Surrey County Cricket Club are with Alec and the whole Stewart family.'

'Our very best wishes are with the family and we will continue to offer any support to them that we are able to. In the meantime, we ask that people respect their privacy at this difficult time,' said Club Chair Oli Slipper.

Stewart, 62, is one of the great figures in Surrey's cricketing history, representing the club from 1981 to 2003. He also played 133 Tests for England, amassing 8463 runs at an average of 39.54, including hitting 15 centuries and 45 half-centuries. He also made 4677 runs in 170 ODIs at an average of 31.60, including hitting four centuries and 28 fifties.

/IANS