Middlesex have suffered a major blow ahead of the new County Championship season with main sponsor Knight Frank terminating their contract a year early.
It adds misery to a club who are cash-strapped, having posted losses of £950,000 in their 2021 accounts and who have seen dwindling cash reserves.
The club yesterday announced they were to be sponsored by Castore, replacing Nike, but the Knight Frank blow, according to reports in Mail Online, is said to be related to market conditions.
The global property sales and lettings firm signed a four-year deal with Middlesex which was expected to run through to the end of this season.
They appeared on all three shirts – county, T20 and one-day – and had an association with the women’s and disabilities teams too.
Middlesex were relegated from Division One of the County Championship last year alongside Northamptonshire and will this season feature in Division Two.
The club saw some special measures placed upon them by the England and Wales Cricket Board after a number of financial troubles hit the side – they were also found to have breached the County Partnership Agreement.
The club, who play a number of their matches at Lord’s, are not expected to sign an overseas player this season to help them ease the wage burden.
Knight Frank and Middlesex were approached for comment.