Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks – a reference to the Northamptonshire Regiment which was formed in 1881. The name was supposedly a tribute to the soldiers' apparent indifference to the harsh discipline imposed by their officers. Founded in 1878, Northamptonshire (Northants) held minor status at first but was a prominent member of the early Minor Counties Championship during the 1890s. In 1905, the club joined the County Championship and was elevated to first-class status, since when the team have played in every top-level domestic cricket competition in England.
Andrew James Hall is a former South African first-class cricketer who played from 1999 until 2011. He played as an all-rounder who bowled fast-medium pace and has been used as both an opening batsman and in the lower order. He was born in Johannesburg in South Africa in 1975 and educated at Hoërskool Alberton in Alberton, Gauteng.
The Friends Provident Trophy was a one-day cricket competition in the United Kingdom.
Ian Joseph Harvey is a former Australian cricketer. He was an all-rounder who played 73 One Day Internationals for Australia and was named as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year for 2004 for his performances in county cricket. He was a part of the Australian squad which won the 2003 Cricket World Cup.
Kevin Malcolm Curran was a Zimbabwean international cricketer. He was part of Zimbabwe's first One Day International side following independence at the 1983 Cricket World Cup. He went on to be the head coach of the Zimbabwe national cricket team from August 2005 until September 2007.
David John Capel was an English cricketer who played for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club and the English cricket team. Cricket writer Colin Bateman noted that "Capel was one of those unfortunate cricketers who became tagged as being the next all-rounder to fill Ian Botham's boots". He was well known for his long stint with Northamptonshire as a player as well as coach for nearly 32 years. He died on 2 September 2020, at the age of 57, after being diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2018.
Malachy Bernard Loye, is an English former cricketer who played first-class cricket for Northamptonshire, Lancashire, and England A. Loye is a right-handed batsman, particularly well known for his slog sweep shot against fast bowlers. Deep into a long career, he also finally made his One Day International debut against Australia on 19 January 2007 aged 34 years 113 days.
Niall John O'Brien is a former Irish cricketer and a cricket commentator. He is a left-handed batsman and wicket-keeper. Domestically O'Brien began his professional career with Kent in 2004 before joining Northamptonshire at the start of 2007, spending six seasons there before joining Leicestershire for 2013.
Joseph Liam Denly is an English professional cricketer who plays for Kent County Cricket Club. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional leg break bowler who plays as a top-order batsman. Denly played age group cricket for Kent and began his professional career with the county before moving to Middlesex for three seasons between 2012 and 2014. He won the Professional Cricketers' Association Player of the Year award in 2018 and was named the season's Most Valuable Player.
Johannes Jacobus van der Wath is a South African former cricketer who played Limited Over Internationals.
Richard Ernst Levi is an English-South African cricketer. He played in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka. He currently plays for Western Province, Cape Cobras and Northamptonshire. He attended Wynberg Boys' High school in Cape Town and received honours for cricket in 2005.
Steven Paul Crook is a former Australian cricketer who played for Northamptonshire in English county cricket. He is an all-rounder, batting right-handed and bowling right-arm fast medium pace. In September 2018, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. Sir Alastair Cook described Steven as the worst bowler he had faced during the recent Tailenders Live show at the Palace Theatre Manchester #Tailendersoftheworlduniteandtakeover
Steven John Croft is an English first-class cricketer who has played for Lancashire County Cricket Club since 2005. He bats right-handed and can bowl both medium-fast and off breaks. In 2008 Croft was given the Lancashire members' Player of the Year and One-Day Player of the Year awards. In 2008/09 he played for the Auckland Aces in New Zealand as an overseas player. Awarded his Lancashire cap in 2010, Croft was part of the Lancashire team that won the County Championship in 2011.
Alex George Wakely is an English former cricketer who played for Northamptonshire and was also a former captain of the England under-19s. He is a right-hand batsman, bowls off-breaks and sometimes medium pace bowling. In May 2021, Wakely announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
Nathan Liam Buck is an English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-fast bowler who plays for Northamptonshire. He was born in Leicester, and started playing for Grace Dieu Park Cricket Club in Thringstone.
Jack Alexander Brooks is an English professional cricket player, currently playing for Somerset after successful spells at Oxfordshire in the Minor Counties, and Northamptonshire and Yorkshire in first-class cricket. He is predominantly a right arm medium fast bowler who can also bat.
Joseph Charles Buttler is an English cricketer who is the captain of the England cricket team in limited overs cricket, and plays for the England Test team. In domestic cricket he represents Lancashire, having previously played for Somerset, and has played in multiple Twenty20 leagues, including for Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. Buttler is known for his highly innovative and aggressive batting style, especially in limited over cricket. He was part of the England team that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup. Under his captaincy, England won the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup.
Mohammad Azharullah is an English Pakistani cricketer, who most recently played in England for Northamptonshire. Azharullah is a right-arm fast-medium bowler who also bats right-handed.
Richard James Gleeson is an English cricketer, who plays for Lancashire in domestic cricket. He made his international debut for the England cricket team in July 2022.
Justin Broad is a South African-born cricketer who plays for the Germany national team. Born in Cape Town, Broad excelled in school cricket and was selected to play for Western Province in national under-15s and under-17s tournaments. In 2019, Broad moved to England to play club cricket for Bury St Edmunds Cricket Club in the East Anglian Premier Cricket League, finishing as the club's top-scorer in his first season. Broad also represented the Marylebone Cricket Club Young Cricketers, and later joined Esher Cricket Club in 2021 to play in the Surrey Championship. He has also played for the second XI at Surrey County Cricket Club.
