Having pushed at door with Essex and Hampshire, Matt Salisbury finally proved himself at first-class level after impressing with Durham, on loan from MCC Young Cricketers, in 2018. He was soon signed up on a full contract until the end of 2020, and finished the season with 44 wickets, having become a central component of Durham's Championship attack. That included a career-best 6 for 37 in Paul Collingwood's last match, ultimately not enough to defeat Middlesex and give him a winning send-off.

His first chance came at Essex, where he was already a regular for the 2nd XI when he caught the eye while playing for Cambridge MCCU. He was signed in 2013 and the following season won opportunities in all formats after injuries to a number of the first-choice attack. It was in T20 that he enjoyed the majority of his success, taking 10 wickets at 25.60 in the 2014 competition, including 2 for 23 in his second match away at Hampshire. But injuries slowed his development, and Essex released him at the end of the 2015 season.

That was not the end of the story. Salisbury answered a player shortage in Essex's 2nd XI in 2017, took five wickets against their Hampshire counterparts, and was taken on trial, winning a Championship debut against Warwickshire in which he marked his debut with two wickets in his first three balls, the former England Test batsman Ian Bell included.
ESPNcricinfo staff