Emilio Gay has decided to leave Northamptonshire at the end of the season after rejecting the club's offer of a new contract. It is believed he will be signing with Durham.
Gay, 24, is a talented batter who has been part of the Northamptonshire setup since the age of 15. He made his first-class debut for the county in 2019 and established himself as a key player in their top order.
The left-hander has an impressive first-class record, averaging 35.71 from 47 red-ball matches, with 19 scores over fifty, including six centuries. In 2024, his performance improved significantly, scoring 860 runs at an average of 61.42 in Division Two of the County Championship, highlighted by a career-best 261 against Middlesex in April. Gay has also played 39 white-ball matches for Northants.
In a statement released on Thursday, Gay said, "After the most important and memorable decade of my life, this season will be my last with Northamptonshire. They enabled me to fulfil my childhood dream of becoming a professional cricket player. Thank you to everyone at NCCC. Hopefully, I will make the club proud. Over the last decade at Northants, many people have helped me progress. I will never be able to thank all my teammates, coaches, staff, and fans enough. Northants will always have a special place in my heart."
Northamptonshire expressed their disappointment at losing a home-grown talent they had nurtured and wished Gay well in his future endeavours.
John Sadler, the club's head coach, said, "We always believed Emilio would become a high-class batsman. His great work ethic has helped his game develop rapidly over the last two years. It is a shame his future doesn't lie with us, but he is very ambitious and believes a fresh challenge will best support his quest to play international cricket. We wish him well and look forward to watching his career unfold."
Durham's signing of Gay, considered one of the most naturally gifted batters in the country, is seen as a smart move. This acquisition comes alongside the signing of Will Rhodes, who will join from Warwickshire after declining a contract extension.