Fletcher joins Surrey on loan

Nottinghamshire seam bowler Luke Fletcher is joining Surrey on a month's loan for red-ball cricket, but will remain available for Notts in the NatWest T20 Blast.

He will be with Surrey for Division Two fixtures against Northamptonshire, Kent, Lancashire and Leicestershire as they seek to cover pace-bowling deficiencies that threaten to derail their promotion challenge.

Fletcher is yet to make an appearance for the Nottinghamshire first team in 2015, but director of cricket Mick Newell expects him to feature prominently between now and the end of the season.

"If we're going to challenge in three competitions, we need a strong squad of bowlers," said Newell. "Having that strong group isn't just about having them in the squad, it's about maintaining their form and match fitness too. This is a good opportunity for Fletch to get some red ball bowling under his belt.

"If he takes wickets down there and comes back with some confidence and form behind him, it will certainly help his chances of playing in our four day team. It would be good for Fletch, good for Notts and good for Surrey if that was the case.

"In the meantime, we know what he's all about in Twenty20 cricket. He has a set of skills with the white ball that he consistently executes. Even if the batsmen know what's coming, it's another thing batting against it, so Fletch will have a big role to play for us in T20 cricket, during this loan and beyond it."

Fletcher has taken 203 first-class wickets in 66 appearances for Nottinghamshire, as well as earning plaudits for his specialist death bowling in the shorter formats of the game.