Former all-rounder David Capel entered into the Northants Hall of Fame

The Northampton-born former all-rounder played his entire first-class career for his home county, and also represented England in Tests and one day internationals.

Once he retired from playing after an 18-year career, Capel went on to coach the youngsters as he became head of the Northants Academy, before taking on the role as head coach and overseeing first team affairs for almost six years.

Capel, who is now 57, is the latest addition to the club's Hall of Fame, joining fellow club legends George Thompson, Billy East, Nobby Clark, Fred Bakewell, Dennis Brookes, Freddie Brown, Frank Tyson, Keith Andrew, Colin Milburn, David Steele, Bishan Bedi, Allan Lamb, Ken Turner, George Tribe, Mushtaq Mohammad and the Kingston family.

After making his debut in 1981, Capel went on to make 270 first-class appearances for Northants between 1981 and 1998, as well as 300 List A matches.

In 1987 he became the first Northamptonshire-born cricketer to represent England at Test level since George Thompson 77 years earlier, making his debut against Pakistan at Headingley.

A club statement on the announcement read: "One of the most determined and combative players in the club’s history, David joined Northamptonshire’s staff as an ‘apprentice cricketer’ in 1980 (at 40 pounds a week) and gave 32 years’ unbroken loyal service to NCCC as player and coach until 2012.

"Capel’s career statistics make impressive reading; he scored 10,869 first-class runs and claimed 467 wickets for Northamptonshire – opening his account of Championship victims by dismissing Sir Geoffrey Boycott at Middlesbrough in 1982.

"In limited-overs cricket he logged 6,274 runs and 237 wickets, and was named man of the match on five occasions including the NatWest Trophy semi-final against Leicestershire at Grace Road in 1987.

"That same summer saw him make his Test debut against Pakistan at Headingley. Coming to the crease with England in dire straits at 30 for five courtesy of Imran Khan and Wasim Akram he fought his way to a battling half-century.

"He went on to play 15 Tests and 23 One-Day Internationals, never letting his country down.

"He remained a key member of the Northamptonshire side up to his retirement from the first-class game in 1998 and helped to pioneer the ‘pinch-hitter’ role (a description he has never liked!) at the top of the batting order in domestic one-day cricket, in the wake of the 1996 World Cup. He took a successful benefit in 1994.

"Always totally dedicated to the club, proud Northamptonian Capel subsequently turned his attentions to developing the County players of the future.

"He was named Director of Excellence in 1999 and later took charge of the club’s Academy. He graduated to head coach in 2006, succeeding Kepler Wessels, and his side came within a whisker of achieving Championship promotion in 2009."

Capel won one major honour during his time as a player at Northants, as he was part of the team that won the 1992 NatWest Trophy Final, seeing off Leicestershire by eight wickets.

He also played in five other major finals at Lord's in which the County ended up on the losing side, hitting a superb 97 in the 1987 Benson & Hedges Cup final defeat to Yorkshire.

In first-class cricket for Northants, Capel hit a total of 16 centuries and 72 half-centuries with a highest score of 175, finishing with an average of 29.68. With the ball he claimed 14 five-wicket hauls, finishing with a career average of 32.14.

In one day cricket for Northants, Capel averaged 27.38 after hitting four centuries and 16 half-centuries, registering a top score of 121, while with the ball he had a best haul of five for 51 and a career average of 32.52.

His top score with the bat for England in Tests was 98, made against Pakistan in Karachi, while he had a best of 50 not out in ODIs, and with the ball his best Test figures were three for 88 and in ODIs three for 38.