Richards Jr was born in Somerset when his father, the former West Indies captain, was playing for the county.

It means the 19-year-old is eligible to play for West Indies or England.

Middlesex coach John Emburey told London's Evening Standard newspaper: "We haven't actually seen him play but he's got a good record in junior cricket and has been recommended to us.

"I gather that as a batsman he plays a few shots and bowls medium-quick seamers."

Richards Jr has been studying at Cheltenham College and is set to start a university degree course in Cardiff next September.

He has played cricket in Antigua, his father's native island in the Caribbean.

Emburey said: "This arrangement should suit us all.

"Mali can get some cricket next summer before he starts university and we can have a close look at him before deciding whether we want to take things further."

Emburey said Sir Viv had not been putting any pressure on his son.

He said: "Mali has to try to create his own identity.

"But Viv certainly doesn't put him under any pressure.

"He's more than happy to support and encourage yet stresses that Mali is his own man and makes his own decisions."