Former England batter Gary Ballance has announced his retirement rom all forms of cricket. The 33-year-old had returned to the country of his birth – Zimbabwe – and signed a two-year deal after being released by Yorkshire. He featured in one Test, one T20I, and five ODIs for them.
Ballance quits the game with five Test hundreds to his name, with the latest one (137 not out) coming in the only Test he featured in for Zimbabwe.
Gary Ballance announces
“After much thought, I have decided to retire from all forms of professional cricket with immediate effect,” Ballance said in a statement issued by the Professional Cricketers’ Association.
The left-hander thanked Zimbabwe for giving him the opportunity to continue playing at the highest level but revealed that he no longer wants to continue playing professionally.” stay to give me an opportunity to return to international cricket and to welcome me into their team.
“However, I have reached the stage where I no longer have the desire to dedicate myself to the rigours of professional sport and it would do Zimbabwe Cricket and the game itself a disservice, should I carry on. I wish them every success going forward,” Ballance added.
Ballance played 23 Tests for England after making his debut in 2014 and scored 1498 runs for them – including four centuries and seven fifties. He also won the County Championship with Yorkshire in the 2014 and 2015 seasons.
Gary Ballance left Zimbabwe immediately after the U-19 World Cup. After a long time back, he has the experience of playing in all three formats of the country. Named in the rare club of cricketers playing for two countries. He also has the distinction of being the second cricketer to score a century for two different countries in Tests. He scored 454 runs in 21 ODI matches and 30 runs in the only international T20.
