Quartet are released by Northamptonshire

Batsmen Ben Curran and Charlie Thurston and bowlers Nathan Buck and Brandon Glover have all been told they will not be offered new contracts for the 2023 season.

Head Coach John Sadler thanked the group for their service to the County, with all of the players having been at the club for numerous years.

“It’s never nice when good people leave the club, and they can all be proud of the contributions they made on and off the field," said Sadler.

“We wish them well for the future.”

A club statement added: "Fewer than 540 individuals have represented Northamptonshire in first-class cricket since 1905, and as such each player now occupies a unique place in the history of the club.

"Everyone at the club would like to thank the players for their valued contribution to the club and wish them all the best in whatever they do next."

Buck announced that not only is he leaving the club, but that he is retiring from professional cricket at the age of 31.

Writing on Twitter, he said: "Fifteen years of fun comes to an end as I’ve decided to retire at the end of the summer.

"Thanks to everyone who played a part along the way, I’ve enjoyed living the childhood dream."

The tweet was accompanied by caps from the professional clubs and representative sides he has played for in his career.

Buck also played for Leicestershire and Lancashire, before joining Northants in 2016. He also represented England at Lions and Under-19 level.

He made many appearances in all three formats for Northants, but has only played once in the Championship this summer.

Glover leaves at the end of the three-year contract he signed at the start of the 2020 season.

The South African-born Netherlands international has struggled to make the most of the chances offered to him in all formats, and he has not been involved in any red ball cricket in 2022.

Curran joined the club in the summer of 2018, and despite some promising moments, has also failed to really make his mark.

The son of former Northants skipper Kevin, Curran did look as though he may establish himself in the Vitality Blast team this summer with some promising performances at the top of the order with Chris Lynn, scoring two half-centuries.

But his form dropped off as the tournament progressed, and he was then only given one opportunity in the Royal London One Day Cup.

Curran did make two Championship appearances earlier in the summer, managing just 28 runs in three innings.

Thurston, signed by former head coach David Ripley in 2019, has not made a single first team appearance this summer in any format, despite scoring very heavily in the second team.

He scored 253 against Glamorgan IIs in June, and then 283 not out against Gloucestershire IIs in August, but that still wasn't enough to warrant a first team opportunity.