Lee Fortis, the 7 feet tall and well-built pitch curator of The Oval Cricket Ground in London, was seen in a heated argument with Gautam Gambhir on 29 July 2025. Reportedly, Fortis was unhappy with Team India’s inspection of the pitch. On the other hand, the Indian support staff clarified that they were examining the pitch while wearing rubber-soled shoes, which do not cause any damage to the surface. Fortis is known for being difficult to deal with. A picture has also surfaced on social media showing Fortis standing on the pitch at the Kia Oval alongside Brendon McCullum. The photo in question was taken just two days before the start of an Ashes 2023 match.
Biography
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Profession | Head Curator, Kia Oval (Surrey CCC) |
| In Role Since | 2012 |
| Age | About 43 years (born c. 1982) |
| Height | 7 feet |
| Education | Not publicly disclosed |
| Awards | 4× ECB Best Multi-Day Pitch (2022–2024 consecutive) |
Key Details about Lee Fortis
He is the Head Curator (Head of Ground Staff) at the Kia Oval cricket ground in London (home of Surrey County Cricket Club). Fortis is responsible for preparing pitches for both international and domestic cricket matches.
He has been the chief curator at The Oval since 2012, succeeding Bill Gordon. Before this, he worked as an assistant head groundsman at The Oval until he left in 2006. He overseas Honourable Artillery Company ground in London for a while before returning to Kia Oval as the head of groundsman.
Fortis has won the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Bernard Flack Memorial Trophy for best multi-day pitches multiple times, including a hat-trick of wins from 2022 to 2024, and four times overall as of 2025. He is known as one of the best pitch curators in England.
There is no exact information available about Fortis’ height but he can be described as a tall and burly individual. During his spat with Gautam Gambhir, Fortis looked like a giant.