The Middlesex chief executive dismissed is Andrew Cornish, whose removal followed an independent panel upholding misconduct charges stemming from a complaint by a staff member, according to officials familiar with the process.
Cornish was suspended in November after the club received a complaint about his alleged behaviour toward a colleague. The matter was referred to the Cricket Regulator, the body that brings disciplinary cases in the sport.
Middlesex confirmed Cornish’s exit in a statement, saying he was dismissed from his role as chief executive in June.
Following the investigation, the Cricket Regulator charged Cornish with misconduct and took the case to the Cricket Disciplinary Panel. A three-person panel is understood to have found against him. The allegations are not being treated as a criminal matter and the case has not been referred to the Metropolitan Police.
Cornish has denied wrongdoing and is considering his legal options.
Middlesex chief executive dismissed amid leadership changes
In Cornish’s absence over the past eight months, Middlesex appointed two interim chief executives. The club’s chief operating officer, Mahdi Choudhury, and former British Cycling head Julie Harrington have shared duties. Harrington is viewed by club figures as a leading candidate for the permanent position.
Harrington is due to appear before members for the first time alongside chairman Richard Sykes at a fans’ forum next Tuesday, where they may address the situation.
Cornish joined Middlesex as a consultant to then chief executive Richard Goatley in 2020 and succeeded him the following year after Goatley stepped down due to ill health.
A former chief executive of Somerset and Manchester Airport, Cornish has overseen a turbulent period at Middlesex that included significant financial losses and a legal dispute with Goatley, who is suing the club for more than £1 million in a personal injury case.
In September 2023, the England and Wales Cricket Board fined Middlesex £50,000 and imposed a suspended points deduction for financial regulation breaches, including misuse of central funding.
Separately, the club faced an improper conduct charge in June 2024 after complaints about another senior employee. The Cricket Disciplinary Panel found the club not guilty. The Cricket Regulator had alleged a breach of ECB Directive 3.3, which covers conduct considered improper or prejudicial to the interests of cricket, or likely to bring the ECB, the game, or players into disrepute.
Cornish was previously dismissed from his role at Somerset in 2019. He declined to comment.
