MARK PATTERSON, the Cliftonville pace bowler, is to be offered a two-season contract by Surrey. He joined the county last month, having played for Ireland against Holland in the European Championship in Denmark.

Patterson, whose brother Andy is at present on tour in England with the Ireland Development squad, made an immediate impact with Surrey. On his first-class debut, he took six for 80 against South Africa A at The Oval. Other Irish players who have joined English counties in relatively recent years include Dermot Monteith, Peter O'Reilly and Mark Cohen. But Monteith was the only one to command a regular first team place, with Middlesex after he had joined the county late in his playing career.