Gay, 24, has enjoyed a prolific season at the top of Northamptonshire's order, scoring 919 runs at 57.43 in ten matches, including a career-best 261 against Middlesex in April.

However, he was out of contract at the end of the season, and having agreed to join Durham on a two-year deal from 2025, he has now brought forward his time at the club to include their final two Championship matches, against Surrey and Kent.

Gay's arrival is a boost for Durham, who are currently fifth in Division One in their first season back in the top flight for eight years, and who will face a Surrey side still smarting from their shock defeat against title challengers Somerset at Taunton last week. They currently lead Somerset by eight points, and have still to face Essex in their final match at Chelmsford, starting September 26.

Surrey's morale took a further dent on Saturday when Somerset also ended their hopes of a domestic double in the T20 Blast semi-final at Edgbaston.

With England's ongoing white-ball series against Australia limiting player availability, Surrey were shorn of four key players in that contest. They now face missing more personnel for the last rounds of the Championship, with Gus Atkinson already ruled out with injury, and Ollie Pope a particular doubt with England due to fly out for their Test series against Pakistan in just over two weeks' time.