'Northants will always have a special place in my heart' declares departing Emilio Gay

Emilio Gay has hit six centuries for Northants (Picture: Peter Short)Emilio Gay has hit six centuries for Northants (Picture: Peter Short)
Emilio Gay has hit six centuries for Northants (Picture: Peter Short)
Departing batter Emilio Gay has spoken of his love for Northants, insisting the club 'will always have a special place in my heart'.

The 24-year-old has turned down the offer of a new contract to stay at the County Ground, and will instead play his cricket elsewhere from next summer.

The club he is joining has yet to be announced, but Northants have confirmed the elegant left-hander will be leaving, being to an end his nine-year association with the club.

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Bedford-born Gay first joined Northants' Talent Pathway programme in 2015, and progressed through the ranks to make his first team debut in 2019.

Emilio Gay in action for NorthantsEmilio Gay in action for Northants
Emilio Gay in action for Northants

He has gone on to make 86 first team appearances across all formats, scoring more than 3,750 runs, and earlier this summer hit a career-best 261 in a County Championship clash with Middlesex.

Gay has made no secret of his desire to go on and play Test cricket for England, and he believes he will have a greater chance of doing that away from Wantage Road.

But he admits leaving the club was a tough decision to make.

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“After the most important, and memorable decade of my life, this season will be my last with Northamptonshire,” said Gay.

Northants head coach John SadlerNorthants head coach John Sadler
Northants head coach John Sadler

“Northamptonshire have given me my dream, to become a professional cricket player. My aim now is to take this dream as far as I possibly can.”

"I will never be able to thank all the coaches, players, staff and fans enough.

“Northants will always have a special place in my heart.”

Gay will still be available for selection for Northants for the remainder of the summer, but is set to be left out of the remaining Metro Bank One Day Cup matches, with the next fixture a trip to Durham on Friday.

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He is likely to return to action when the County Championship resumes ith a trip to Middlesex later this month.

The news of Gay's departure is obviously a blow for John Sadler, but the Northants head coach says the player departs with his and the club's best wishes.

“From early on we always believed Emilio would become a high-class batsman," said Sadler.

“He has a great work ethic and this is one of the reasons his game has developed so rapidly over the last two years.

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“It is a shame that Emilio’s future doesn’t lie with us, but he is very ambitious and believes a fresh challenge will be the best thing for him on his quest to play international cricket.

“We wish him well and will all enjoy watching his career unfold.”

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