Emilio Gay
Gay in 2025
Personal information
Full name
Emilio Nico Gay
Born (2000-04-14) 14 April 2000 (age 26)
Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
Batting Left-handed
Bowling Right-arm medium
Role Batsman
International information
National sides
  • Italy (2025)
  • England (2026–present)
Test debut (cap 720) 4 June 2026 
England v New Zealand
T20I debut (cap 46) 5 July 2025 
Italy v Guernsey
Last T20I 11 July 2025 
Italy v Netherlands
Domestic team information
Years Team
2019–2024 Northamptonshire (squad no. 19)
2024 → Durham (on loan)
2025–present Durham (squad no. 24)
2026 Rangpur Riders
Career statistics
Competition Test T20I FC LA
Matches 1 3 73 38
Runs scored 65 64 4,702 1,182
Batting average 32.5 21.33 39.84 36.93
100s/50s 0/1 0/1 13/18 2/7
Top score 57 50 261 131
Balls bowled – – 174 42
Wickets – – 2 1
Bowling average – – 58.50 44.00
5 wickets in innings – – 0 0
10 wickets in match – – 0 0
Best bowling – – 1/8 1/25
Catches/stumpings 1/– 0/– 65/– 21/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 23 May 2026

Emilio Nico Gay (born 14 April 2000) is an English and Italian cricketer who plays for Durham,[1] and the England Test team. He previously played for Northamptonshire in domestic cricket, and Italy in T20 Internationals (T20I).

Early life

Gay was born in Bedford, England,[2] and educated at Bedford School.[3][4] His father's family came from Grenada, and his mother is from Italy.[5]

Domestic career

Gay became involved with Northamptonshire's academy programme at under-15 level, and was named their Player of the Year in 2018.[6] He was awarded his first professional contract with the club in 2019,[7] making his first-class debut on 23 September against Gloucestershire in that year's County Championship[8] (due to bad weather during the match, he did not play his first innings until the following season). In January 2021, he signed a new two-year deal with Northamptonshire.[9] He recorded his maiden first-class century in the 2021 County Championship, when he scored 101 against Kent at Canterbury on 3 June.[10] He made his Twenty20 debut on 18 July 2021, for Northamptonshire in the 2021 T20 Blast.[11] He made his List A debut on 25 July 2021, for Northamptonshire in the 2021 Royal London One-Day Cup.[12] He made his maiden first-class double century on 13 April 2024, during a County Championship match against Middlesex.[13][14] His score of 261 off 401 balls was the highest recorded by a Northamptonshire batsman in a Championship game between the two sides.[15]

In 2024, Gay turned down the offer of a contact extension at Northamptonshire, with Durham and Warwickshire reported to be amongst the clubs interested in signing him.[16][17] He was ruled out of the county's remaining games in the season's One-Day Cup, but not the County Championship.[18] On 5 August, it was confirmed that he had agreed a three-year deal with Durham,[19][20] to whom he was loaned for the final two rounds of the Championship.[21]

Gay was sold to Rangpur Riders for 2025–26 Bangladesh Premier League, but missed the tournament due to injury.[22]

International career

In May 2025, Gay was named in the England Lions squad for a two-match series against India A.[23]

In July 2025, Gay made his T20I debut for Italy, against Guernsey. In his second match, against Scotland, he scored his maiden T20I half-century, opening the batting.[24] These matches were part of the 2025 Men's T20 World Cup Europe Regional Final. He missed out on selection for the 2026 Men's T20 World Cup with Italy due to an injury sustained whilst playing for the England Lions.[25]

After a good start to the 2026 domestic season, Gay made his debut for the England team in the First Test against New Zealand on 4 June 2026.[26][27] He made eight in England's first innings, before top-scoring with 57 in their second time at bat.[28]

References

  1. ^ "Emilio Gay". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  2. ^ "Young Gun: Strong work ethic reaps the rewards for ambitious Emilio Gay". The Cricket Paper. London. 18 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  3. ^ Krarup, Ed (11 December 2020). "Emilio Gay: Absolutely made for the longer format". The Cricketer. London. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  4. ^ Dean, Geoffrey (13 September 2022). "Emilio Gay in Lions contention after innings of his life". The Times. London. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  5. ^ Blackmore, Jeremy (14 May 2024). "Bravo to Emilio Gay, inspiring the next generation". ECB. London. Archived from the original on 14 May 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Emilio Gay Signs First Professional Contract". Northamptonshire County Cricket Club. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Cricketing Success as OB Turns Professional". Bedford School. 17 July 2019. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Specsavers County Championship Division Two at Bristol, Sep 23-26 2019". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 23 September 2019.
  9. ^ Casey, Jeremy (12 January 2021). "Batsman Gay delighted as he signs new contract at Northants". Northamptonshire Telegraph. Northampton. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Emilio Gay makes hay as maiden ton puts Northamptonshire in box seat". ESPNcricinfo. ECB Reporters' Network. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  11. ^ "North Group, Birmingham, Jul 18 2021, Vitality Blast". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Group 1, Northampton, Jul 25 2021, Royal London One-Day Cup". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  13. ^ Carr, Tom (15 April 2024). "Bedford's Emilio Gay scores career best with maiden double ton against Middlesex". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  14. ^ "County Championship: Emilio Gay makes 261 for Northants against Middlesex". BBC Sport. London. ECB Reporters' Network. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  15. ^ "Gay hits 261, Sales maiden hundred in Northants run-fest". ESPNcricinfo. ECB Reporters' Network. 13 April 2024. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Emilio Gay to depart Northants, set for Durham move". ESPNcricinfo. 1 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  17. ^ Coyne, James (1 August 2024). "Division One clubs circle as Emilio Gay announces Northamptonshire departure". The Cricketer. London. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  18. ^ Casey, Jeremy (1 August 2024). "Star batter Emilio Gay to leave Northants at end of season". Northampton Chronicle & Echo. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Emilio Gay pens three-year Durham deal". Durham County Cricket Club. Chester-le-Street. 5 August 2024. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  20. ^ Howson, Nick (5 August 2024). "England on the agenda as Emilio Gay takes his next step". The Cricketer. London. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Emilio Gay joins Durham on loan for remainder of season". ESPNcricinfo. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 17 September 2024.
  22. ^ Carr, Tom (3 December 2025). "England Lions' Emilio Gay impresses Down Under ahead of World T20 with Italy". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  23. ^ "Bedford's Emilio Gay rewarded for good form with England Lions call-up". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 23 May 2025.
  24. ^ "ITA vs SCOT Cricket Scorecard, 7th Match at The Hague, July 09, 2025". ESPNcricinfo. Archived from the original on 10 July 2025. Retrieved 6 October 2025.
  25. ^ "Emilio Gay out of T20 World Cup through injury | The Cricketer". www.thecricketer.com. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
  26. ^ Martin, Ali (13 May 2026). "Gay, Rew and Baker called up to England Test squad and Robinson in from cold". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
  27. ^ "'We always knew Emilio Gay was a talented cricketer'". www.bbc.com. 4 June 2026.
  28. ^ "Emilio Gay already looks like a game-changer for England". The i Paper. Retrieved 5 June 2026.