Former England batsman Gary Ballance leaves Yorkshire CCC

The club has agreed to a request from the former England batsman to release him from his contract, which had two years to run.

The 33-year-old had not played senior cricket for the county since September 2021, after which he was named as a central figure in the racism scandal.

Yorkshire have supported him extensively through this challenging time, with Ballance having struggled with his mental health.

As part of the agreement to release him, Ballance will not play for another county next year and it is thought that he could now return to his native Zimbabwe and possibly resurrect his international career with a team coached by relation Dave Houghton.

In a statement, Ballance said: “It has been a privilege to play for this great club.

“On a personal level, I have gone through a challenging period – and after much discussion I decided, together with my family, that it would be right to make a change.

“I asked the club if it was willing to release me from my contract, and I am grateful for its understanding as we have reached agreement.

“The support Yorkshire has given me off the pitch over the past year has been fantastic and I am appreciative of the club’s help, but I hope that my decision will mean that my career can have a fresh start”.

Darren Gough, the Yorkshire director of cricket, said: “We are sad to see Gary go, but he leaves with our best wishes.

“He has been a mainstay of our side for many years, and a superb batsman.

“As a club, we recognise that the last 18 months have been difficult for Gary, for numerous reasons, and the most important thing for him is to get better and play again.

“He felt he could not do this at Headingley, and we agreed to his request reluctantly but knowing that it was the right decision for him personally”.