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 team-mates 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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