Fraser will be named new Middlesex supremo

Middlesex have confirmed that Angus Fraser will be appointed as their new managing director of cricket within the next few days. Arrangements will be finalised and a formal announcement made once the county returns from Antigua.

"We haven't finalised everything yet, he's on holiday and we are in Antigua," Middlesex chief executive Vinnie Codrington told the BBC. "I think we will get the details sorted out when we get home.

"What we need to do is build for the future. We're kind of moving away from the old-fashioned committee style of getting somebody to be responsible and accountable for everything in relation to cricket.

He knows the set-up, as everybody knows it's a bit peculiar as we're at Lord's, we don't technically own a ground and for Gus we have even got to find an office for him. Those sorts of difficulties need to be overcome and those are the things we'll be working on when we get back.

"It's not a tracksuit job, it's not about being in the first-team dressing room, it's not going to step on [coach] Toby Radford's toes. But he is going to be ultimately responsible for everything that is Middlesex cricket and that will be everything from the first team to grass roots. He's not going to wave a magic wand and our cricket is going to be brilliant, there's clearly a lot that needs to be done.

"We've got to make sure that Gus is given the tools for the job and is allowed to get on with the job and everyone associated with Middlesex from me to the members and committee have got to be patient."

As revealed by Cricinfo on Friday, Shaun Udal has also been confirmed as Middlesex captain for 2009. "We're delighted that Angus' first recommendation was that Shaun took up the mantle, he's done a great job for us in the last couple of months. When I broke the news to him he was very emotional and very excited."

The future of the outgoing captain, Ed Smith, remains shrouded in confusion. While he contracted for one more year, it is widely reported that he is consulting lawyers about his position. He did not play for the second half of the season because of an injury, but it seems increasingly unlikely that he will be return to Lord's to see out his contract.