I don't think you can replace him: Stoneman says Surrey need to channel their inner Sangakkara

Mark Stoneman believes that looking for a like-for-like alternative for the Sri Lankan, who averaged more than 100 in the Championship in 2017, would have been a forlorn exercise

^{Surrey benefited from Kumar Sangakkara's brilliance last year}

Kumar Sangakkara might be impossible to replace but Mark Stoneman is confident Surrey can still make up for the absence of the Sri Lankan in 2018.

Sangakkara finished his final first-class season with 1,491 runs at an astonishing average of 106.50 and both his sheer weight of runs and his influence in the dressing room will surely be missed during the new campaign.

Stoneman, who himself passed the 1,000 barrier in 2017 and will be hoping for similar form when the new term begins with the visit of Hampshire to The Oval on Friday, believes that looking for a like-for-like alternative would have been a forlorn exercise.

Instead, he says Surrey need to channel their inner Sangakkara to ensure they turn potential into end product over the coming months.

“I don’t think you replace him,” he said.

^{Mark Stoneman says Sangakkara is impossible to replace}

“You understand what he brought in terms of his runs and his value. If everybody lifts five per cent then we’ll be somewhere close but very rarely do you get a guy averaging 100, plus what he can add in the dressing room just around the group.

“Thankfully we’ve got some quality players coming in for the young lads to learn from.

Surrey finished third in Division One last season, having drawn a remarkable 10 of their 14 matches, winning only two .

“In the Championship we’ve got to score enough runs,” said Stoneman as he discussed how the county might emerge triumphant this season.

“The chances of taking 20 wickets comes from scores of 500. Last year we had good conditions where we were 300 for four and then 380 all out, constantly letting the initiative slip and letting the opposition back in the game.

“If we get that part of the game right, where we make 500, we can control when we declare, when we bowl and with our firepower we are going to be in control of the game.”

^{Stoneman and Jade Dernbach at the club's media day}

Stoneman spent the winter away on Test duty with England, making four half-centuries across seven matches in Australia and New Zealand.

He reflects on his time Down Under with mixed emotions.

“In terms of my own performances, I feel like there was some good stuff in there, stuff to build on and a few opportunities missed as well,” he said.

“On reflection, I feel I’m good enough. Early-season runs are important to try to get selection again against Pakistan but in terms of that, what will be will be.

“It’s up to me to get those runs so I can hopefully retain my place when that selection comes out.”

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