Adam Hollioake, ever the joker, delivers a classic one-two punch when asked why Surrey are so successful. “Because we’re the best. And the most humble.” His deep-throated chuckle fills the air, a welcome sound amidst a summer overshadowed by tragedy in English cricket, particularly at the Oval, where the late Graham Thorpe and Hollioake once combined to help Surrey win seven trophies between 1996-2002.

Hollioake is no stranger to sorrow. The death of his brother, Ben, in a car accident in 2002 led him to leave cricket and return to his native Australia at the age of 33. “I’ve had plenty of practice dealing with it,” he says, speaking from London where he’s spent the summer. “It’s those phone calls, the moment between knowing it’s bad news and hearing the details, that seem to stretch on forever.”

He recalls his close bond with Thorpe, both on and off the field. “We were close when we played, but even closer in the last few years, especially when we were coaching together. One way to distract from your own sadness is to care for others, so I’ve been helping his wife and kids. I know that’s what Graham would want.”

With a doctorate in grief, Hollioake has mastered finding joy in happy memories. “Graham was a fun guy, very silly, with a playful sense of humour. But he was also a fierce competitor, especially when the game was on the line.”

Twenty years after leaving his playing career, Hollioake has returned to Surrey as an assistant coach, brought back by Alec Stewart. “It really feels like coming home,” he says. Hollioake’s early years in Australia were marked by constant travel and instability. “I didn’t have a family home growing up, because we moved so much.” At Surrey, he found stability and respect.

After leaving Surrey to be with his parents in Australia, Hollioake pursued various careers, including real estate, television, and even professional boxing. Cricket had faded into the background. “I was trying to figure out who I was and what I wanted. I didn’t have any cricket memorabilia in my house because I didn’t want to live in the past. I wanted to achieve more.”

He feels cricket was “taken away” by Ben’s death. “When my brother died, I needed to go back and be with my family. I lost my connection with cricket. I’m still rebuilding that relationship.”

Coaching roles have provided a way back into the game, including with Queensland, Pakistan, and the ECB. He also worked in the now-defunct Afghanistan Premier League, where he narrowly escaped a suicide bombing. “My dad always said to stay until the job’s done. I wanted to make sure I was safe and they increased security.”

Hollioake tries to bring the same philosophy to coaching as he did to captaincy. In 1995, Surrey’s head coach gave him the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” “I became fascinated with psychology. The difference between being confident and not is vast. Confidence is such an integral part of sport.”

He attributes Surrey’s continued success to their organisation and professionalism. “Everyone’s so informed, and knows what everyone’s doing. That’s a mix of Alec Stewart’s organisational skills and having a settled squad.”

Hollioake’s current role is temporary, but he’s open to returning. With Stewart’s imminent departure to care for his wife, Hollioake says he would be “honored” to take on a similar role. “I’m beholden to Surrey. I’ve been away for so long, but I do have that bond with the club. But I’ve got to be the right person for the job.”

Most important to Hollioake is that, after years of grief and a search for purpose, cricket is a joy once more. “I lost the love of the game after my brother died, I wasn’t enjoying it anymore, but having had a bit of a time away from it, I’m loving it again. It’s hard for it not to be a lot of fun.”