Adams will do a great job with Surrey (From The Argus)

Adams will do a great job with Surrey

6:30am Monday 15th December 2008 in

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MARK Robinson welcomed Chris Adams to cricket's coaching fraternity and said: “I think he will do a great job.”

The coach-captain partnership which brought Sussex four trophies in three seasons is breaking up after Adams was appointed Surrey's new cricket manager last week on a three-year contract.

Adams has the tough job of reviving a county who have been in decline in recent seasons and who dropped into the second division after failing to win a Championship game in 2008.

But his former coach believes he has the credentials to turn their fortunes around.

He said: “I think he will do well. Whether he is the right bloke for the job at Surrey only time will tell but if he isn't it will only be because of other things around him.”

Robinson played under Adams during his record-breaking 11 seasons as Sussex skipper and their relationship was the most effective of any in recent years in domestic cricket.

Since Robinson succeeded Peter Moores in 2006 they have guided Sussex to back-to-back Championships, their first Lord's final success since 1986 and their first 40 overs league title since 1982.

“I played with him and worked alongside him when I became head coach and it has been a great three years," added Robinson.

“He has got many strengths which will stand him in good stead now he is a coach, the biggest of which is that he has never been afraid of making big decisions.

“He has always been fiercely loyal to his players and he always backed the guys on and off the pitch.

“He generally succeeds and gets what he wants and makes things happen. He’s a winner and I have no doubt that will also be the case at Surrey.”

Sussex are only scheduled to meet their old rivals in two Twenty20 games next season.

They are in different divisions in both the Championship and Pro40 League and were also kept apart in the draw for the FP Trophy, which is not regionalised in 2009.

Adams admits it was strange wearing Surrey kit and being in the home dressing room when he was unveiled at The Oval last week.

He said: “There is obviously a lot of sadness that my Sussex era is at an end. There will always be a part of me at Sussex but the guys I am leaving behind know how competitive I am so when I come down here with Surrey next summer there is only going to be one team I want to win.”

Meanwhile, the 2009 fixture list, delayed while arrangements for West Indies' early-season tour of England were finalised, are expected to be released this week.