Middlesex today announced that John Emburey will succeed Mike Gatting as head coach of the club.

Emburey, the former Middlesex and England bowler, was delighted. He said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for me and I am really looking forward to the challenge of taking Middlesex back to where they belong, among the premier counties in England.

"Middlesex have some exciting talent and I am certain that with Angus Fraser [captain], we can improve performances of both individuals and the team."

Club secretary Vinny Codrington explained why the club had taken so long to appoint Gatting's successor. "We went through an exhaustive selection process, talking to coaches all around the world and no one was more qualified or knowledgeable in the English county scene than John. The committee were unanimous in their choice."

Fraser was also pleased with the appointment. He said: "We are absolutely thrilled to have Embers on board. Having played the majority of my cricket with him, I know what qualities he has and feel that those qualities can only be beneficial to Middlesex County Cricket Club. We are eager to get started.

"We have a young, talented and enthusiastic squad who have underachieved in recent seasons and Embers will help bring the best out of them. We are all looking forward to sitting down with John and planning the future success of Middlesex over the next three to five years."

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