Mali Richards hits out at Middlesex

Mali Richards, the son of Viv Richards, has launched a stinging attack on Middlesex, where he was on the books in 2003 and 2004.

Speaking to BBC sport, Richards said he would "rather forget" his time at the county. "In two summer contracts I had one net session there where some coaching was available," he said. "I just seemed to be someone who was there, who had a name, and nothing really happened for me.

"I don't think I was particularly helped by the club. It was something I would rather forget because I didn't take much away from it other than meeting some really good guys, like Owais Shah and Paul Weekes. Apart from that it wasn't particularly enjoyable. I was very young and immature and I take some blame for what happened there.

"My experience of two summers at Middlesex is that while having good facilities nothing really happened for me except for some second-team cricket."

Richards has struggled to make an impression in the game either as a middle-order batsman or seam bowler. In 12 first-class matches for Antigua, MCC and Oxford UCCE he has made 226 runs at 14.12 and taken 15 wickets at 56.46.

While at Middlesex Richards played 12 second-team matches, primarily as a batsman, and scored 286 runs at 16.82, with a best of 57, his only fifty and never looked like pressing for a first-team place.

Vinny Codrington, Middlesex's chief executive, told the BBC that Richards' "communication at the club was poor".