Sales commits to Northamptonshire

David Sales, the Northamptonshire batsman, has agreed a new four-year contract with the club.

"This contract means I will go along way to finishing my career at the club I started at," he said, "which means a lot to me."

Sales' contract expired at the end of the season, and Northamptonshire members were concerned that the seven interested counties could have lured him away from the club. But he confirmed to the Northampton Chronicle and Echo that he had "unfinished business" at the club and was keen to help them win a title in the autumn of his career.

"I've played my whole career here and feel we've got a great opportunity to win some trophies in the near future," he said. "I've been here for 14 years now and winning is something I've been striving to do the whole time. The worst thing that could have happened was that if I gone elsewhere and then had to watch this club having success.

"I want to be a part of some good things here and I feel, if we can keep the core of the squad together, we are not far off doing something.

"I was also looking for some security. At this stage in my career it was going to be a big choice. I had conversations with other people and I'd narrowed my choice down to two clubs. But the club have shown faith in me and I have faith in the club.

"Four years takes me to 35 years of age and I can hopefully carry on well beyond that. It was a big thing for me to play my whole career for one club. I've been here a long time and staying was just something I wanted to do."

Meanwhile, opening batsmen Rob White and Stephen Peters have also signed new contracts which will keep them at the club until 2010.