Middlesex have parted company with first-team coach, Richard Johnson, after two wins in their first seven County Championship fixtures left them sixth in Division Two. They have also only won one out of six Vitality T20 Blast games.
Johnson, a former Middlesex stalwart who played more than 200 times for the club, returned as assistant coach in 2009 and then again as first-team coach, succeeding Stuart Law, in 2022. In between he spent three seasons on the coaching staff at Surrey.
Although Johnson succeeded in securing promotion back to Division One of the Championship in his first season in charge, Middlesex were relegated again in 2023. Last year, they narrowly missed out on a top-two finish, as Sussex and Yorkshire pipped them to going up.
The club enjoyed scant success in white-ball competitions under Johnson, failing to qualify for the knockouts in either the Blast or the One-Day Cup during his time in charge.
His tenure was also marked by Middlesex having had to deal with a number of off-field issues, including being put into special measures by the ECB over financial mismanagement and fighting a legal case against former chief executive, Richard Goatley. They did not sign an overseas player in 2023, but began the current season with renewed optimism after bringing in Kane Williamson (in a deal jointly financed by MCC and London Spirit), Dane Paterson and Josh Little.
“Jono has put his heart and soul into the role since he returned to the club in 2022, and we thank him for all his hard work during his time as first-team coach,” Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s director of cricket, said. “Ultimately cricket is a performance business, and we do not feel that the results this season have matched the expectations that we have for the team at our disposal.
“Jono is due a lot of credit for leading the team through the most difficult off-field period that we have had and has embraced the challenge of working within the financial constraints placed upon the club during his time as first-team coach. We do though have high expectations for the playing group that has been assembled during this time, and we do feel that the time is right for a change to try and maximise the talent and performances from our squad.
“Jono is a modern Middlesex cricketing great and has served the club exceptionally well during his time as a player, assistant coach and first-team coach. We thank him for all that he has done for the club over many years.”
