Ex-Australia batsman Stuart Law sacked by Middlesex

LONDON, Oct 27, 2021 (AFP) – Former Australia batsman Stuart Law has been sacked as head coach of Middlesex with a year left on his contract, the English county team announced on Wednesday.

The decision followed a review of Middlesex’s performances over the past three seasons by the club’s cricket committee, with Alan Coleman becoming interim head coach.

The Lord’s-based side lost seven of their first 10 County Championship matches in 2021 and were consequently placed in competition’s bottom tier during the season’s second stage.

Their white-ball performances were also dismal as the club finished second from bottom in the group stage of England’s domestic 50-over and Twenty20 competitions.

Middlesex chief executive Andrew Cornish thanked Law for his dedication but added “on-field performances have not been up to the standards we require”.

“We have ambitions to be competitive in all competitions, and with the talented young home-grown side developed at Middlesex, I have no doubts this can be achieved,” he said.

Middlesex were crowned champions of England in 2016 but were relegated the following year and failed to shine under Law after his appointment on a four-year contract in 2019.

Law made an unbeaten half-century in his only Test for Australia in 1995 and played in 54 one-day internationals between 1994 and 1999.

He retired with a first-class record of 27,080 runs, 79 hundreds and an average exceeding 50.

The 53-year-old had coached Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the West Indies before taking charge at Middlesex.