A group of Middlesex cricket legends, including former England captain Mike Gatting, has publicly called for the removal of chair Richard Sykes, citing years of poor leadership and mismanagement. In an open letter, the six former players—Gatting, Desmond Haynes, Mark Ramprakash, Mike Selvey, John Emburey, and Clive Radley—urge members to attend the club's annual general meeting on 15 April and demand answers from the board.
The letter describes the club's leadership as lacking cricketing knowledge and its cricket administration as 'structurally a mess' with no accountability. It criticises poor coaching standards and a failure to convert the area's diverse talent into competitive players, unlike other counties with fewer resources.
Middlesex has faced a series of crises. Chief executive Andrew Cornish is on leave after a misconduct complaint, which he denies, and is under investigation by the cricket regulator. His predecessor, Richard Goatley, was cleared by police after being reported for alleged unauthorised expenses, though he is now suing the club for over £1m in damages.
The club was placed under special measures by the ECB in 2023, fined £50,000, and given suspended points deductions for misusing grassroots funds. Cost-cutting has led to a decline in the men's first team, which remains in Division Two of the County Championship and made no winter signings beyond a new coach.
Further chaos emerged this week when a press release announced a scaled-back pre-season media day due to 'unforeseen circumstances' with the playing kit. Middlesex, the only county without its own ground, pays around £200,000 a year in rent to the MCC to play at Lord's and is exploring demutualisation to fund a new home.
