The former England captain has paid the price for the team's failure to achieve success in the County Championship.

They currently lie bottom of Division Two, but are challenging for promotion in the one-day National League.

The 43-year-old's departure was announced in a brief statement from Lord's.

It read: "Middlesex County Cricket Club today announced that they would not be offering new contracts to Mike Gatting, Director of Coaching, and Ian Gould, Club Coach, at the end of the current season.

"The Club paid tribute to the loyal service of both coaches and thanked them for all their hard work."

But Gatting told BBC Sport Online: "The club haven't said anything to me and I would like to know what their reasons are."

He took up the post in October 1998 when John Buchanan, now in charge of the Australian national side, left after only season in charge.

Buchanan's methods and ideas, which included computer analysis of players' performances, did not go down well with some people at Lord's and the county turned to Gatting.

But he was unable to reverse their decline on the pitch and they finished only 16th in the Championship last season.

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