Former England and Zimbabwe cricketer Gary Ballance retires from all formats of the game. The 33-year-old has stated that he no longer wants to put up with the pressures of performing international cricket after recently relocating to his native Zimbabwe and appearing in a few matches there.
Ballance appeared in one Test, one ODI, and five T20 Internationals while playing for Zimbabwe, collecting a Test hundred, scoring 137 unbeaten. He featured in 23 Test matches for England between 2013 and 2017, scoring 1,498 runs, with four hundred and seven half-centuries. He additionally played a part in one T20I and 21 ODIs throughout his time playing for his country.
“After much thought, I have decided to retire from all forms of professional cricket with immediate effect,” stated Gary Ballance in a release provided by the Professional Cricketers’ Association.
“I had hoped my move to Zimbabwe would provide me with a new-found happiness for the game and I will always be thankful to Zimbabwe Cricket for providing me with an opportunity to return to international cricket and welcoming 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 this would do Zimbabwe Cricket and the game itself a disservice, should I carry on. I wish them every success going forward.”
Gary Ballance retires leaving behind an illustrious county career
Ballance competed in the County Championship for Yorkshire and was an integral part of the team that won the championship in the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He has also been in the spotlight when he admitted hurling racial slurs towards Azeem Rafiq.
When Gary Ballance accepted the Cricket Discipline Commission’s charges against him in January, he made a guilty plea to five violations, including using racially inflammatory language. The charges came from accusations of racist behaviour in Yorkshire.
After being released by Yorkshire, the left-hander signed to a two-year contract for representing Zimbabwe. After just a little time with the squad, he has now made the decision to quit his career. Ballance showed his appreciation to Zimbabwe for giving him a chance in his message.
“I have been fortunate to have some incredibly memorable moments in cricket, winning County Championships with Yorkshire and gaining the ultimate honour of representing England and Zimbabwe,” Ballance stated.
“I want to thank all of my clubs, coaches, support staff, teammates and supporters for their guidance and encouragement over my career, it has been a privilege.
“It is now time for me to move on to the next chapter of my life. I will be making no further comments on my decision at this time.”
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