Batsman Richard Levi signs new deal at Northants

The South African, who originally signed for the club as an overseas player in 2013, will be back at Wantage Road for his ninth season in 2021.

Levi switched to being a Kolpak signing in 2015, so is effectively classed as home player, and he is delighted to be extending his stay at the County Ground.

"I'm pleased to have signed a new deal." said Levi, who will turn 33 in January.

"It'll be my ninth season at Northamptonshire next year and I'm looking forward to going round again."

The signing of the deal will be a relief for Levi, who very much sees Northampton as home right now.

Speaking at the start of the summer, Levi made it clear he wanted to stay in the town and at the club, and said: “It is nice to come to Northants and just play cricket, as with the dynamic of where I come from, that isn’t always the case.

“It is a tight-knit group of lads at the club, and it’s an environment I haven’t necessarily been in anywhere else in the world, and it is one that I enjoy.

“I have bought a house here, I am settled and I don’t necessarily want to be going anywhere as this is a big part of my career.

“I am 16 years into that career now, and nearly half of it has been at Northants, so I don’t want to be going anywhere."

Levi has been a consistent and prolific run-scorer for Northants across all formats, amassing more than 6,000 runs in 178 appearances.

The powerful striker is mainly seen as a T20 specialist, but he boasts a good first-class record for the club with four centuries and nearly 3,000 red ball runs to his name.

Levi was the Steelbacks second highest run-scorer in the 2020 Vitality Blast, totalling 197 runs at an average of 19.7, beaten only by his opening partner Paul Stirling, who hit 232 runs at 25.8.

He becomes the fourth player to sign a new deal at the club this winter, following on from Charlie Thurston, Ben Curran and Jack White.

Four players, Rob Newton, Brett Hutton, Blessing Muzarabani and Tom Sole, have left the club.