Lee Fortis departure leaves huge hole to fill at the Kia Oval

Head groundsman since 2013, he had been on leave – gardening or otherwise, the former sounds too much like a busman's holiday – since late July.

Regardless of the circumstances behind his departure, Fortis has made an enormous contribution to ensuring the ground is ranked among the best in the world.

That lope on to the playing area he has cultivated with such devotion is familiar to everyone who watches cricket at The Oval, whether to supervise putting on and taking off the covers or sundry other tasks.