Contract news....

The Club has announced that off spinner Azeem Rafiq (20) and left hand batsman Gary Ballance (21) have both committed their futures to the Yorkshire County Cricket Club by signing two year extensions to their contracts. Right arm seamer Moin Ashraf (19) and Joe Root (20), a right hand bat and offspin bowler, have been offered similar deals and it is hoped both will sign soon.

The Club has released bowler Ben Sanderson and all rounder Lee Hodgson and spinner David Wainwright has exercised the clause in his contract where he can request to be released if he isn’t playing regular first team cricket.

Junior pro contracts have been awarded to Alex Lees (18, left hand bat) and James Wainman (18, left arm seam bowler) and summer contracts to Callum Geldart (19, left hand bat), Alex Lilley (19, left arm seamer) and Dan Hodgson (19, wicketkeeper/batsman).

Director of Professional Cricket, Martyn Moxon, 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.”