Yorkshire have agreed to free up Gary Ballance from his contract with the membership.
The former England batsman, who performed 23 Tests and 16 ODIs, met his former Yorkshire teammate Azeem Rafiq in August to say sorry for racist language used whilst they performed in combination on the county and used to be absent from the facet within the 2022 season with mental-health problems.
“We are sad to see Gary go, but he leaves with our best wishes,” stated Darren Gough, the managing director of Yorkshire Cricket. “He has been a mainstay of our side for many years, and a superb batsman.
“As a club, we recognize 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.”
Ballance, who is one of seven people set to face a hearing after being charged by the ECB with a breach of their code of conduct and anti-discrimination code over the Rafiq allegations, had two years remaining on his Yorkshire contract and the agreement that sees his leave dictates that he will not play for another County Championship side in the 2023 season.
“It has been a privilege to play for this great club,” stated Ballance. “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 have 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.”
