Richard Bright: Emburey to end his first-class career (12 June 1997)

Thursday 12 June 1997

Emburey to end his first-class career

By Richard Bright

JOHN EMBUREY, the former England off-spinner, yesterday announced his retirement from first-class cricket at the age of 44. The Northamptonshire all-rounder has ended a career which produced 1,608 wickets, 12,021 runs and 64 Test appearances spanning 17 years.

He is to concentrate more on his coaching role with Northamptonshire, although he will continue to play in one-day cricket for the "foreseeable future".

Emburey - who won seven championships, four NatWest Trophy titles, two Benson and Hedges Cups and one Sunday League with Middlesex - said: "I have had a marvellous career at the highest level and have enjoyed every minute of it. But I made it clear when I joined Northants that my career was going to revolve around coaching as the main priority. That is the direction I want to go in."

Tributes for Emburey were led by former England teammates Graham Gooch and Mike Gatting, his captain at Middlesex for 12 of his 22 years at Lord`s.

Gooch, himself still playing for Essex at the age of 43, said: "He has been a superb cricketer and off-spin bowler - one of the best this country has produced - since he first got into the Middlesex side in the early 1970s."

Gatting said: "He has had a splendid career, and he was always working and striving to improve things. He had a lot to do with the success Middlesex had. For them he was a great cricketer and when he played for England, he did not let himself or the country down."

Today`s cricket

11am start

TETLEY`S CHALLENGE

1st day of 2

Trent Bridge: Notts v Australians.

BRITANNIC CH`SHIP

1st day of 4

Cardiff: Glamorgan v Middlesex. Bristol: Gloucs v Worcs. Basingstoke: Hants v Somerset. Old Trafford: Lancs v Kent. The Oval: Surrey v Yorks. Hove (noon): Sussex v Essex. Edgbaston: Warwicks v Derbyshire.

2ND XI CH`SHIP (2nd day of 3).- Abbotsholme School, Rocester: Derbys v Middx. Wickford: Essex v Leics. Ammanford: Glamorgan v Notts. Finchampstead: Hants v Northants. Southport: Lancs v Gloucs. Cheam: Surrey v Worcs. Griff & Coton: Warwicks v Durham. York: Yorks v Sussex.

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Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/)