Northants secure Matt Breetzke services for red and white ball cricket in 2025

The hard-hitting right-handed batter has put pen to paper on a deal that will see him join the County for the first eight County Championship matches of next summer, as well as for the entirety of the Vitality Blast North Group stage.

Breetzke was the top run-scorer for the Steelbacks in the 2024 Blast, hitting 460 runs at 38.33, a total that saw him the finish seventh highest scorer in the whole competition.

His runs were a crucial factor in the Steelbacks finishing second in the group and sealing a home quarter-final, and the fact he was unable to return for that Somerset clash proved to be a hammer blow to the County's hopes as they lost by 17 runs.

Breetzke's Blast highlights last summer included a career-best T20 score of 94 against Derbyshire Falcons, and a match-winning innings of 76 against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

Breetzke’s impressive form earned him a call up to captain South Africa A in their series against Sri Lanka A, and he is on the cusp of a Test match call, having been named in the South Africa squad for their tour of the West Indies in August and also their upcoming tour of Bangladesh this month.

In first-class cricket, Breetzke averages 37.84 and has scored 3,255 career runs, with a highest score of 188. In all he has hit eight centuries, and 14 half-centuries. He made one appearance in red ball cricket for Northants last summer.

Northants chief executive Ray Payne is happy that Breetzke has agreed to return next year.

“Matt made an outstanding contribution to the team in 2024 and we’re delighted that he will be returning to Northamptonshire in 2025,” said Payne.

His performance in the Vitality Blast match at Old Trafford in July will live long in the memory, and we know he will be a strong addition to our squad in both red and white-ball cricket next year.

“On top of that, Matt is a consummate professional and an excellent role model for the younger members of our squad and we are very much looking forward to welcoming him back.”