Gary Ballance will be given full backing by Yorkshire, insists Steve Patterson

STEVE PATTERSON is backing the new captain and coach partnership of Gary Ballance and Andrew Gale to help maintain Yorkshire's golden era.
New first-team coach Andrew Gale is backed by Steve Patterson to continue the success at Yorkshire.New first-team coach Andrew Gale is backed by Steve Patterson to continue the success at Yorkshire.
New first-team coach Andrew Gale is backed by Steve Patterson to continue the success at Yorkshire.

Ballance was recently appointed captain in succession to Gale, who took over from Jason Gillespie as first-team coach.

“I think Gary is an ideal choice, the natural choice to take over as captain from Galey, who I’m confident will work well with the lads in his new coaching role,” says Patterson.

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“Gary’s got a very good cricket brain, and on the back of what we’ve seen this winter (with England), perhaps we’ll have him a bit more this summer than we may have done before. I’ve got every confidence in both of them.

“Although Dizzy (Gillespie) was superb, Galey had a big input into what we did anyway, so his attitude and approach to things is not going to change.”

Ballance is due to return to Headingley shortly after a family holiday to properly embark on his new role.

Patterson says he will not lack support.

“Gary knows that he’s got the support of the senior players and of all the players. We will help him out as much as we can,” said Patterson.

“Although there’s been a bit of a change in the dynamic of our side, there’s still a lot of experience in there and we know how to win.”