Richard Levi to leave Northamptonshire at end of season

Levi scored over 6,000 runs across his nine years with Northamptonshire, making 183 appearances in all three formats

Northamptonshire have announced that Richard Levi is to leave at the end of the season after the club decided against renewing his contract.

A hard-hitting opening batsman, Levi scored over 6,000 runs across his nine years with Northamptonshire, making 183 appearances in all three formats.

“I wish Rich all the best,” head coach David Ripley said in a statement. “He’s been a great ambassador in his time at Northamptonshire. It was a difficult decision, it’s always tough when someone leaves after a long period of time, but I hope he’ll look back fondly on his time at Northamptonshire.”

Born in South Africa, Levi originally signed as an overseas player in 2013, and helped Northamptonshire win the T20 Blast in his first season. He signed as an English-qualified domestic player the following year, before winning another Blast title in 2016.

^{Levi won the T20 Blast twice with Northamptonshire Steelbacks}

“Richard has been with me as a head coach right from the very beginning and some of the greatest days I’ve had in cricket he’s been there,” Ripley added.

“He’s been a really great servant for Northamptonshire cricket, when he was at the peak of his powers he was contributing in all three formats. We’ve all seen him on a Friday night under the lights when he’s been very destructive and almost impossible to bowl at when he’s going at his best.”

It was announced last week that Ripley will also be stepping down as head coach at the end of the campaign following a decade at the helm.