Middlesex have announced that David Houghton will replace Mark Ramprakash as the club’s batting coach.

Houghton has signed a two-year contract and will officially start on January 1, 2015, when his commitments with Somerset end.

Ramprakash spent two years at the club but last week moved on to become England's batting coach.

Middlesex managing director of Cricket, Angus Fraser said: “We are delighted that David has agreed to join Middlesex and everyone at the club is looking forward to working with him. As well as being an excellent batting coach David has a wealth of knowledge that we can tap in to.”

Houghton, 57, is widely regarded as one of the best batsman to come out of Zimbabwe and during his playing career played 22 tests scoring four hundreds and four half centuries with a top score of 266.

Since retirement Houghton has coached the Zimbabwe national side, been the head coach at Worcestershire CCC, Director of Cricket at Derbyshire CCC, as well as being the batting coach at Somerset.

Houghton said: “I am joining an already impressive and well established coaching unit at Middlesex and look forward to working closely with both Richard Scott and Richard Johnson to contribute to the club's desire to secure silverware in the near future."