Former Surrey all-rounder Rikki Clarke is hunting for a new club after turning down a Brit Oval contract extension in the hope of bagging a more lucrative deal elsewhere, write Stuart Amos & Francis Ponder The 26-year-old former England international called time on his five-year Brown Caps career last week, and was reported to be interesting a number of county sides.

Clarke lost his place in the Surrey side for the last two months of the season after he managed 301 runs at 23 and 15 wickets at 42 in 10 Championship matches.

He was strongly linked with Derbyshire last week and it is thought he is keen to bag a captaincy role - along with a regular starting slot - having once done the job with Surrey.

Lancashire and Sussex are said to be monitoring the situation closely, while Essex head coach Paul Grayson confirmed the player had been made available to them, but they were not interested in taking him to the County Ground in Chelmsford.

With Clarke on his way - and Rory Hamilton-Brown and Ian Salisbury having departed already - cricket manager Alan Butcher has strengthened his ranks by promoting a trio of youngsters to the full senior ranks.

England U19 fast bowler Stuart Meaker, 18, and batsman Chris Murtagh, 22, have been handed full-contracts for 2008.

Wicket-keeper batsman Gary Wilson has penned a two-year deal, with a view to being groomed as a replacement for long-serving gloveman Jon-athan Batty.

Loughborough University student Murtagh smashed 503 runs at an average of 71.85 for the second team last season, while Wilson's 27 catches and six stumpings have earned him an improved deal.

Surrey have not had the greatest record of giving youngsters their chance, but Butcher believes the current crop have worked hard enough to deserve an opportunity.

"Gary has had an excellent start to his career at Surrey. He is a positive addition to any dressing room and a further two years is just reward for the hard work he has put in," he said.

"Hard work has also been a by-word for Chris and Stuart, who have both made excellent progress this year.

"Chris has been prolific in the second XI for the past three seasons, while Stuart has forced his way into England's U19 World Cup squad.

"They both fully deserve these opportunities."