Gary Ballance

Gary Ballance (born November 22, 1989) is a Zimbabwean cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a leg-break bowler who currently plays for Yorkshire.

Ballance first played in the Second XI Championship in 2006, having picked up five appearances for Zimbabwe in the 2006 Under-19 World Cup, in which the team finished in sixth place. In the final match for the team, Ballance picked up a half-century, gaining notice from Derbyshire and earning the chance to sign for the team for the 2006 season.

Ballance's debut first-class match, taking up where he left off for the Youth national side, left him a mere two runs off a half-century, a worthy act to follow two half-century makers in Steve Stubbings and Travis Birt. He played his first limited overs match just two weeks later, and again later in the month, having performed in the Second XI team since the beginning of the season.

Ballance was given the Man of the Match award by officials after getting three wickets and scoring just short of a half century against England during the World Cup competition.

Ballance's uncles David and William Houghton were both first-class cricketers, David picking up 22 Test caps for Zimbabwe.

At the end of the 2007 season Gary Ballance left Derbyshire to sign academy terms with Yorkshire. He made his first class debut for Yorkshire against Kent in July, 2008.

External links

* [http://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/97/97634/97634.html Gary Ballance] at Cricket Archive