Photo Credit: ECB
Conditions to be imposed on the Club and Board following breaches of the County Partnership Agreement and Financial Regulations.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Middlesex County Cricket Club (MCCC) and Middlesex Cricket Board (MCB) have agreed a number of conditions to be imposed on the Club and Board following breaches of the County Partnership Agreement (CPA) and Financial Regulations.
Following an investigation into funds provided to Middlesex Cricket Board and Middlesex County Cricket Club by the England and Wales Cricket Board, MCB and MCCC have accepted non-compliance of their CPA with ECB, and that the Club has been financially mismanaged over a number of years and is in breach of the ECB Financial Regulations.
Given the acceptance that the failings identified have largely resulted from a lack of effective governance and oversight of the financial position of Middlesex Cricket, the parties have agreed that a written business plan, which includes a sustainable financial plan along with a governance plan that separates the core business of MCCC and MCB, will be prepared for approval and monitoring by the ECB.
The financial plan will include budgets for the period up until the end of October 2025 that:
- Show a sustainable year-on-year profit; and
- Limits spending on players within an appropriate budget
The governance plan will include:
- The separation of the governance and financial oversight of MCCC and MCB; and
- An understanding of the shortcomings in governance that has given rise to the failings identified by the ECB investigation.
Such plans will be monitored by the ECB on a quarterly basis, with the ECB having the right to attend MCCC board and audit committee meetings as an observer.
In addition, in recognition of the breaches of the Financial Regulations and the noncompliance with the CPA the ECB, Middlesex County Cricket Club and Middlesex Cricket Board have agreed:
- The ECB will reduce payments to the club by £150,000, of which £100,000 will be suspended until 31 October 2025.
- The ECB will impose points deductions on the club equivalent to the maximum points for one win in each of the County Championship, the One Day Cup and the T20 Blast, suspended until 31 October 2025.
Richard Gould, ECB Chief Executive Officer, said: “We have agreements in place with all our county cricket clubs and county cricket boards to ensure that ECB funding is used appropriately and for the purposes in which is it intended. Where breaches of our Regulations and Agreements take place, it is right that we take appropriate action.
“It is vital that all our members have the necessary governance arrangements in place to ensure ECB funding is used appropriately. We will work closely with Middlesex County Cricket Club and Middlesex Cricket Board in the period ahead to ensure the conditions we have agreed are met.”
Andrew Cornish Middlesex CEO said – “Middlesex is determined to ensure that the financial management and governance of the Club going forward is of the highest standard and we are resolved to work closely with ECB to ensure that this is the case”.
