Graves leads the congratulations after Yorkshire CCC’s top-flight return

“It’s a phenomenal achievement,” said Graves. “I think the guys have played really, really well. Certainly, the last six or seven matches, all credit to them, they’ve done a great job.”

Yorkshire won five of their last seven games - to go with two draws - to finish in the second and final promotion position - 21 points above third-placed Middlesex, and 20 behind champions Sussex. Promotion was clinched on the penultimate day of the season at Headingley.

It represented a successful farewell for Gibson, with Yorkshire having gone winless in 30 of his previous 34 Championship matches in charge prior to their late-season run.

The West Indian took over in early 2022 at comfortably the most difficult time in any county’s history, with the club having been rocked by the racism scandal.

“I’ve known Ottis Gibson for 20, 25 years, and Ottis is a very, very genuine guy,” said Graves.

“Unfortunately, when we came here, we had to make a decision going forward of what we wanted as a club, and the board decided that we needed to have a new structure in cricket, and we talked to Ottis about it early (this year); it wasn’t just sprung on him.

“We talked to him about it, and he knew the situation. I’ll be dead open and honest, we’ve looked after Ottis, we’re making sure that he is ok, both financially and all the other things that we can do, and he’s done well for three years under very difficult circumstances.

"I’d like to thank him for all he has done.”

Graves said Yorkshire hoped to appoint Gibson’s replacement within the next fortnight.

As previously reported, Anthony McGrath, the former Yorkshire and England batsman, who is currently head coach and director of cricket at Essex, is understood to be the favourite for the role.

Graves said the leadership of the cricket department is in good hands.

The club recently appointed Gavin Hamilton, the former Yorkshire, Scotland and England all-rounder, to the new position of general manager, which effectively replaces the old director of cricket role, and the former Yorkshire all-rounder/coach Rich Pyrah as head coach of Yorkshire women.

“We’ve made some new appointments with Gavin and Richard, and we’re very confident with those two coming into the club,” added Graves

“We are just going through and finalising the process now for a new head coach.

"That advertisement went out, we had numerous applications, and the process started last week of interviews, etc.

“We’re hoping to be in a situation where, within the next two weeks, we’ll be able to appoint our new head coach, so, in terms of the new cricketing structure, we are hoping to have everything in place by November 1.”