Yorkshire CCC look to the future with Neil Wagner after departure of Gary Ballance

It is not yet quite that time of year - we are still some three weeks away from Jools Holland and his show - but the sentiment seemed pertinent at Headingley yesterday, where Yorkshire said goodbye to one thirty-something left-hander and welcomed another for 2023.

First things first, it was “out with the old”.

Gary Ballance, the former England batsman, is returning to his native Zimbabwe after he requested to be released from a contract with two years to run.

Yorkshire acquiesced with the utmost reluctance, but also with the utmost sympathy and good wishes for a man whose career will forever be linked with the racism scandal.

Ballance, 33, had not played for the Yorkshire first team since the penultimate match of the 2021 season, after which he was implicated in a crisis which has seen over 20 people leave the club and cost millions of pounds.

For a man already suffering with mental health problems, which have dogged his career at various stages, it has been a heavy burden and he was unable to play for the first XI last season, following a brief comeback with Yorkshire seconds.

“It has been a privilege to play for this great club,” said Ballance, who treated it to more than 13,000 runs in all cricket and left supporters with many happy memories.

“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.”

All of which explains why Darren Gough, the Yorkshire managing director of cricket, and everyone at Headingley understands and supports Ballance’s decision.

“We are sad to see Gary go, but he leaves with our best wishes,” said Gough, who believes that the player’s mental well-being must take precedence.

“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.”

While Ballance looks to resurrect his career back in his homeland, and perhaps play international cricket again for a Zimbabwe side coached by his relation Dave Houghton, Yorkshire must adapt without that mainstay of their line-up.

It will not be easy. Although Gough will try his best to find a replacement, the fact that players are already tied into contracts, or retired, and that overseas deals are already sorted, means the availability pool is unlikely to be wide.

Throw in the fact that Harry Brook, Dawid Malan and perhaps Joe Root could be at the Indian Premier League at the start of next season, and Yorkshire will be even more grateful for having recruited the Pakistan batsman Shan Masood, their new club captain, who has a big role to play in more ways than one.

However, the show must go on which brings us on to the “in with the new”.

Neil Wagner, the 36-year-old New Zealand pace bowler, has signed for the first 10 County Championship matches of the 14-game campaign, with length of availability as important, if not more so, than anything these days when it comes to overseas recruitment.

It looks an astute signing by Gough, with Yorkshire having received criticism, not least from this pen, for many years of short-term overseas recruits who more often than not have flattered to deceive.

Wagner is clearly no spring chicken - more of a winter chicken - but his record speaks for itself: 246 Test wickets at 26.71 and 795 first-class wickets at 26.85.

With Yorkshire having lost the services of a left-armer in Dave Willey, it is also hoped that Wagner will create rough in his follow-through for off-spinner Dom Bess to exploit.

“We are delighted to have confirmed the signing of Neil for the opening ten rounds of the Championship,” said Gough. “His record in first-class cricket is phenomenal, and the impact he has had on Test cricket playing for New Zealand has been huge.

“We are blessed to have some great bowlers to choose from within our ranks and believe that, with the addition of Neil, we have the bowlers to bowl any team out.”

Wagner said: “I’ve always enjoyed playing my cricket in England and to be getting this opportunity again at such a big club like Yorkshire CCC is a great honour.

"I feel like I can offer a lot to the team with my experience, attitude and skill set, so I can’t wait to get going. I want to be a big part of helping move the team back up into Division One.”