Middlesex confirmed yesterday that Angus Fraser, the former England bowler and at present cricket correspondent of The Independent, has been appointed their new director of cricket. Fraser, who will be responsible for all levels of the game within Middlesex, will take up his post once personal terms have been agreed and he has served out his notice at the newspaper.

Vinny Codrington, the Middlesex chief executive, confirmed the appointment in Antigua. “He’s the man we want and we have agreed with Gus to start his role in January,” he said. This came as news to Fraser, who is on holiday in Pembrokeshire and has yet to see a contract, but he is known to be keen to reconnect with a club he served with distinction for 18 years.

It is a departure for him, as his years since retirement have been taken up with journalism, and a likely return to some kind of stability for Middlesex. They also confirmed that Shaun Udal will be offered the club captaincy on a permanent basis. With loyalty a diminishing quality in county cricket, the return of Fraser, a Middlesex man, should be good news for the county’s supporters. “Gus is Middlesex through and through,” Codrington said, “and we’ll be fortunate to have him.”

Mike Procter, the former South Africa all-rounder, has stood down as an ICC match referee to become his country’s chairman of selectors. Procter officiated in 47 Tests since 2002, but controversy followed him. He was in charge of the abandoned Test at the Brit Oval between England and Pakistan in 2006 and the fractious series between Australia and India last winter.

Paul Reiffel has become the first Australia Test cricketer to be promoted to the ICC international panel of umpires. The former fast-medium bowler, who played 35 Tests, made his state umpiring debut four years ago. He will be used by the ICC initially as a television umpire.

Chris Cairns and Dinesh Mongia, both of the Chandigarh Lions, have been suspended by the Indian Cricket League “on disciplinary grounds”.