Wainwright set to leave Yorkshire

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David Wainwright, the left-arm spinner, has asked to be released by Yorkshire after failing to secure more first-team cricket this year

Gary Ballance and Azeem Rafiq have committed their immediate futures to Yorkshire by signing new contracts, but David Wainwright could be on his way out of the club.

Ballance, the 21-year-old left-handed Zimbabwe-born batsman, marked his first full season in the senior side with 717 LV= County Championship runs at 42.17.

Twenty-year-old off-spinner and former England Under-19 captain Rafiq, who spent the first two months of the season on loan at Derbyshire before a hamstring injury ended his campaign, has also agreed a two-year deal.

However, slow left-armer Wainwright, 26, has exercised a clause in his current contract which allows him to leave if he is not playing regular first-team cricket.

He too was loaned to Derbyshire, a spell cut short after barely a week due to Rafiq’s injury. His appearances for Yorkshire this season were restricted largely to the limited-overs competitions, and his three LV= County Championship games yielded just five wickets at 67.20 apiece.

Wainwright therefore looks set to follow seamer Ben Sanderson and all-rounder Lee Hodgson, both of whom have been released, out of Headingley Carnegie.

Meanwhile, junior professional contracts have been awarded to left-handed batsman Alex Lees and left-arm seamer James Wainman, both 18.

A trio of 19-year-olds - left-handed batsman Callum Geldart, left-arm seamer Alex Lilley and wicketkeeper-batsman Dan Hodgson - have agreed summer deals.

Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of professional cricket, said: “We are delighted to offer contract extensions to these very talented youngsters who have shown such promise in an otherwise disappointing season.

“As is the nature of the game, we have also made the very difficult decision to release three other professionals and we wish Lee, Ben and David all the very best for the future.”

Yorkshire also confirmed that Joe Root and Moin Ashraf, regular members of the first team this summer, have been offered new contracts. “It is hoped both will sign soon,” read a club statement.

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