Emilio Gay: New England opener travels from Durham to Bedford

Emilio Gay drove from Durham to Bedford on the day he found out he would be England’s new opener.

The 26-year-old Durham batsman received a phone call at 08:00 BST from the county’s director of cricket and new England international selector Marcus North, who told the left-hander he was in the squad to play New Zealand at Lord’s on June 4.

“It actually woke me up,” Gay told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Then instead of calling his parents to break the news, Gay decided to jump in the car for Friday’s trip to Beckenham for the County Championship game against Kent.

“I really didn’t want to call them because we spent so much time,” Gay said. “I thought I had to be there. I drove back to Bedford.

“My brother videotaped it and it was a moment I’ll never forget. It was a great day.”

Gay’s mother is Italian, having qualified to play three T20 Internationals for Italy last year.

His father’s family is from Grenada and A trip to the Caribbean when West Indies hosted the World Cup in 2007 sparked Gay’s love of cricket. He even got a signed shirt from former Windies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.

“I loved the game with my dad’s family in the Caribbean,” Gay said.

“That’s how I got into it when I was seven years old and then it just built and built. I dreamed of one day being called up to play for England and that day came today.”

Like Sir Alastair Cook, England’s most successful opener ever, Gay is a former Bedford School pupil.

He started his professional career in Northamptonshire and moved to Durham last season. In the trade specialist opener, he usually hits on three for the north-east county.

Gay is one of two uncapped batsmen in England’s squad for the first Test against New Zealand, but along with Somerset’s James Rew, director of cricket Rob Key has confirmed Gay will open against the Black Caps at Lord’s.

He replaces Zach Crowley, who was dropped following the 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia.

Crawley’s neglect has been expected for some time, with Gay’s triple century at the start of the new County Championship season drawing attention.