The pair have agreed three-year deals that will keep them at Yorkshire until the end of September 2011.

Rafiq, 17, was the off-spinner at the heart of the club's expulsion from the Twenty20 Cup when Yorkshire failed to register him with the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Rafiq played in the club's final group match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge before it came to light the correct paperwork had not been signed.

Rafiq enjoyed a good season for the Second XI, bursting on the scene with figures of 16-2-51-5 on his debut against Lancashire; he was named Academy Player of the Year.

Ballance, 18, made his first team debut against Kent at Canterbury in July and represented the Second XI on six occasions. In nine innings last summer he made two half-centuries, averaged 31.42 and hit a top score of 61.

Yorkshire's chief executive Stewart Regan commented: "Gary and Azeem are both exciting young players and we are delighted that they have signed their first professional contracts.

"They are committing themselves to the club at an exciting stage of our development with much activity taking place both on and off the pitch.

"With the new Carnegie Pavilion planned for 2010, an exciting Twenty20 League commencing in the same year and a commitment from both Yorkshire and the ECB to develop home-grown talent, there is much for them to look forward to. We all wish them every success in their professional careers."

Middlesex have included Andrew Strauss and Shaun Udal in their 15-man squad for the forthcoming Stanford Super Series in Antigua. Test opener Strauss has not played for England's one-day side since he made seven against the West Indies in Barbados at the 2007 World Cup and his last international Twenty20 appearance came against Australia in 2005.

A hearing over the suspension of Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been postponed until October 8 because of the Eid holidays. In April, Shoaib was banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board on disciplinary grounds for five years, but that was reduced by an appellate tribunal to 18 months. The tribunal also imposed a fine of seven million rupees (£50,000).

Shoaib, who played for Surrey at the end of the domestic season, appealed the decision to the Lahore High Court and the ban was temporarily suspended pending a final decision from the court, with the hearing slated for yesterday.

Last month the PCB filed a petition demanding Shoaib pay the fine before he is allowed to play international cricket.