'Emotional' day for Emilio as he hits crucial century for Northants at Lancashire

Gay racked up a hugely impressive 144 from 250 balls as his side ended day one of the LV= Insurance County Championship Division One clash on 302 for five, having won the toss and decided to bat at Emirates Old Trafford.

And the 23-year-old said: "I like to think I’ve always found a way to get runs against the top teams but that was an emotional hundred for me.

"I’ve had a few tough times mentally, when I was injured at the start of the year, but that hundred is dedicated to my Uncle Gladstone from the Caribbean who passed away not long ago.

"I told him that my next hundred would be dedicated to him and it was nice to put a performance together.

"A lot of things go through your head: 'When’s my next hundred going to be? Am I going to play this season?', so it was nice to get the big one today after missing out at Merchant Taylors’ a few weeks ago.

"Before the game started, there was emphasis on spin and it was easy to forget that they’ve got two very good new-ball bowlers and we had to get through that session.

"We were a few down when Luke Procter came in and I feel like we played the spinners well because the best way was to be positive and try and knock them off their lengths."

Lancashire had started well as George Balderson took two early wickets, dismissing Ricardo Vasconcelos and Justin Broad.

But Gay and Procter, who made 75, steadied the ship for Northants.

"It was a tough day but I thought we stuck in there really well," all-rounder Balderson said.

"Sometimes you just have to take it on the chin and say they probably had the best of the day but it doesn’t mean we can’t fight back over the next three.

"It’s tough for the seamers, without a lot of movement in it and the spin is only coming when you land it right in the footholds. If they don’t land it there, it’s nice to bat against them as well.

"You think it would deteriorate, with the fact it now has five days’ cricket on it. But you never know. I’ve played on pitches here where you get to day four and it’s the flattest it’s been all game.

"It was a relief to get those wickets towards the end.

"Gay and Procter both played very nicely and made it hard for us. They were very disciplined and when a batter is disciplined on a pitch like that it’s hard to make a breakthrough.

"I think it will be a key first session tomorrow. If we can take these five wickets rather sharply and set about trying to get a first innings lead, I think that will be crucial in this game.”