Durham is confirmed as the destination for Northants opener Emilio Gay

It was announced last week the 24-year-old had turned down the offer of a new contract at the County Ground and will be leaving the club at the end of the season.

It has now been confirmed that Gay, who has been in the Northants set-up for nine years, is heading to the north east, having put pen to paper on a three-year deal at Chester-le-Street.

A club statement read: "Durham Cricket are delighted to announce that Emilio Gay will join the club on a three-year deal ahead of the 2025 season.

"A tall left-handed top order batter, Gay will be available for Durham in all formats and joins the Club from Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.

"The 24-year-old has amassed more than 2,700 first-class runs for Northamptonshire since his debut in 2019 and is closing in on a tally of 1,000 in white ball cricket.

"He is enjoying a prolific County Championship campaign this term, with 860 runs, the fourth highest on the County Championship circuit which included a mammoth career best of 261 against Middlesex.

"Scoring a double hundred to kick off the 2024 season, Gay has six first-class hundreds to his name and 13 fifties.

"The Bedford-born batter found his straps in List A cricket in 2022, notching 332 runs in eight games for Northamptonshire scoring a maiden 50 over century against Lancashire at Blackpool.

"He has made 13 T20 appearances for the Steelbacks posting his maiden short format half-century against Durham at Seat Unique Riverside last summer."