Richard Johnson
A disappointing start to the season in the Championship and Blast divisions costs the club a stalwart.
Richard Johnson, the first-team coach, has departed Middles3x after the squad finished sixth in Division Two with two victories in their first seven County Championship games. Additionally, they have only triumphed in one of the six Vitality T20 Blast matches.
After playing more than 200 games for the squad, Johnson, a former Middles3x mainstay, returned as assistant coach in 2009 and then took over as first-team coach in 2022, replacing Stuart Law. He worked as a coach at Surrey for three seasons in between.
In his first season as manager, Johnson managed to get Middles3x promoted back to Division One of the Championship, but in 2023, they were down once more. They almost missed finishing in the top two last year, as Yorkshire and Suss3x beat them to advance.
Under Johnson's leadership, the team had little success in white-ball tournaments and did not make it to the Blast or One-Day Cup knockout stages.
Under Johnson's leadership, the team had little success in white-ball tournaments and did not make it to the Blast or One-Day Cup knockout stages.
His tenure was also characterized by Middles3x's struggles off the field, including the ECB placing the team under special measures for financial mismanagement and the court battle against former CEO Richard Goatley.
They started the current season with newfound hope after acquiring Josh Little, Dane Paterson, and Kane Williamson in a transaction both MCC and London Spirit financed. In 2023, they failed to sign an international player.
Alan Coleman, Middles3x's director of cricket, stated, "Jono has given the position his all since he rejoined the team in 2022, and we appreciate all of his efforts as first-team coach." "In the end, cricket is a performance-based sport, and we do not think this season's outcomes have lived up to our expectations for the team we have available.
"During his tenure as first-team coach, Jono has accepted the challenge of working within the club's financial limits and deserves a great deal of credit for guiding the team through the most trying off-field phase we have experienced.
However, we have high hopes for the playing group that has been put together over this time, and we believe that a change is necessary to try to maximize our squad's skill and performance.
Here's another tale worth tracking as the action continues throughout the cricket world.
Due to his "workload," Bumrah did not assume the role of captain for the India Test.
Due to his "workload," Bumrah did not assume the role of captain for the India Test.
Because of his workload, he claimed that it would not be "fair to the squad" if he had to take breaks during lengthy series as captain.
Jasprit Bumrah has stated that he told the BCCI, who were considering him as a leadership candidate at the time, that he did not want to be India's Test captain due to workload management.
The selection of Shubman Gill as India's new Test captain for the forthcoming five-match series against England came after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket in May.
In a Sky Sports interview with Dinesh Karthik, Bumrah stated, "Captaincy has no flashy narratives." "Is there any disagreement or sensationalized accusations that I was not treated well or dismissed. During the IPL, before Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired, I discussed my plans for the forthcoming five-Test series with the BCCI. With those who have taken care of my back, I have spoken.
The surgeon, with whom I have also spoken, has repeatedly stressed to me the importance of intelligence about workloads.
We came to the decision that I need to be a bit smarter once I had spoken to him. Since I will not be able to give my entire Test matches in the upcoming five-Test-match series, I told the BCCI over the phone that I did not want to be considered for a leadership position. Thus, it is true that the BCCI was considering my leadership.
Then I had to decline. In a five-match Test series, it is unfair to the team that one player leads in three games while another leads in two. I always wanted to prioritize the team, and it is unfair to them."
Bumrah had sustained a back injury earlier this year during the final Border-Gavaskar Test in Sydney in January. He missed the Champions Trophy and the start of the 2025 Indian Premier League due to what later turned out to be a stress-related injury that started out as back spasms.
Since then, Bumrah has exercised caution when it comes to his workload, stating that another back injury in the same area where he had surgery "might be a career-ender."
Since then, Bumrah has exercised caution when it comes to his workload, stating that another back injury in the same area where he had surgery "might be a career-ender."
Bumrah responded, "We will plan on the way," when asked if he would participate in the first, third, and fifth games. Three Test matches are what I am considering. That figure is obviously up in the air. There is no doubt that the first test will take place.
For the remainder, we will observe the current situation, the workload, and the ongoing scenarios. I am currently able to handle three Test matches. Furthermore, I do not want to find myself in a dire situation.
"If I had been the captain, I could not have dictated that I would only play three Test matches. Additionally, it does not convey a positive message to the team. Keeping all of this in mind, I am attempting to play at my highest level and contribute as much as I can. Hopefully, I will give every game I play my finest effort."
Bumrah made his IPL 2025 comeback by claiming 18 wickets in 12 games at an economy rate of 6.67 and an average of 17.55. His comebacks were crucial to his club, the Mumbai Indians (MI), qualifying for the knockout stages after they had lost four of their first five games of the season.
Bumrah made his IPL 2025 comeback by claiming 18 wickets in 12 games at an economy rate of 6.67 and an average of 17.55. His comebacks were crucial to his club, the Mumbai Indians (MI), qualifying for the knockout stages after they had lost four of their first five games of the season.
Before the Test series in England, 31-year-old Bumrah claimed to have "no problems" regarding his body. "The body feels well. "Everything is fine, no problems," Bumrah stated.
"I participated in an intense IPL. I constantly make an effort to take care of my body and do everything within my power. The weather is pleasant. India was hot. The weather we are having now is different.
To prepare for the first Test, which starts at Headingley on June 20, Bumrah has gradually increased his workload while being cautious about large increases.
To prepare for the first Test, which starts at Headingley on June 20, Bumrah has gradually increased his workload while being cautious about large increases.
"Workload is the main factor. "A large surge is not what you want," Bumrah stated. We had already discussed our weekly workload with the trainers and physiotherapists during the IPL. What are we supposed to do? How can we gradually raise it? In the IPL, we were doing that.
Not all we do is bowl four overs. Six to eight overs is what we bowl. After that, we have warm-ups and a weekly load. We attempt to fit those overs in even before the game.
"So we are at a respectable level by the time we get here. We continue to build it up from here, and we still have some time. As a result, you are physically prepared for Test matches, the spike is manageable, and your body is accustomed to delivering much more overs."
Bumrah's workload during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has raised some eyebrows. In nine innings, he bowled 152.1 overs in Australia, taking 32 wickets at a rate of 13.06. Will he adjust his focus to shorter periods or be able to handle comparably heavy workloads in England?
Bumrah's workload during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has raised some eyebrows. In nine innings, he bowled 152.1 overs in Australia, taking 32 wickets at a rate of 13.06. Will he adjust his focus to shorter periods or be able to handle comparably heavy workloads in England?
"It all depends," stated Bumrah. "I was the captain in the first game and somewhat in the last game, even in Australia. However, it does not seem to me that this is the future strategy. Naturally, because the series was at stake in Australia, there were some situations where we had to go above and above.
"My performance was excellent. And since you would have won that series, you wanted to be in a position where you wanted to give the team and yourself the greatest chance possible. The WTC final was feasible.
"My performance was excellent. And since you would have won that series, you wanted to be in a position where you wanted to give the team and yourself the greatest chance possible. The WTC final was feasible.
"Having said that, you never consider saying, 'I am not going to do this,' when you play for India. I am going to defend myself, so I will not do that. But you need to be intelligent to go further. The workload might get pretty heavy at times.
The intervals between Test matches are shorter. A fast bowler has to endure a lot. I have therefore done a great deal of preparation for this series. But since I am not getting any younger by the day, I also need to be intelligent."