PROFILE

Gary spent the 2010/11 winter playing for the Mid West Rhinos in Zimbabwe and 4 first-class centuries and a List A ton later he came back to Yorkshire brimming with confidence. His most successful season at Yorkshire followed with 862 first-class runs at 47.88, including a maiden Championship century against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in September. His one-day season brought 331 CB40 runs at 55.16 and 215 FPt20 runs at 23.88. 

A sound technique, a forceful stroke and a mature temperament saw him play an increasingly important role in the 1^st Team set-up and he was named the Players’ Player of the Year for his 2011 efforts. Returning to Zimbabwe for the 2011/12 winter he scored his maiden first-class double century and was the form man in the early part of the Mid West Rhinos season.

A highly regarded left-handed batsman, Gary hadn’t kicked on as he would have wanted in 2010. He suffered illness prior to the start of the 2010 season and scored one hundred and eight half-centuries for Yorkshire’s 2nd Team and played one LV= County Championship match against Somerset, two first-class friendlies against Loughborough University and India ‘A’ and three FP t20 matches. His highest score was an unbeaten 48 against Derbyshire in the FPt20.

Gary joined the Yorkshire Academy for the start of the 2008 season and at the end of it he was awarded a three-year contract as a junior professional. Signed from Derbyshire where he made a handful of appearance during 2006 and 2007, including 73 against Hampshire in a Pro40 match in August 2006, Gary made his Yorkshire first class debut against Kent during 2008.

In 2008 it was his performances for the Academy in the Yorkshire League which really caught the eye. He hit three consecutive centuries, the first of them being a magnificent 176 against Sheffield United at Weetwood when his last nine scoring shots included five sixes. Gary made his NatWest Pro40 debut for Yorkshire in 2008 in the final match of the season when he played some powerful strokes while rattling up 33 with two sixes against Essex at Headingley Carnegie. He also topped the 500-run mark in the Second XI Championship, his highest score being a blistering 212 off the MCC Young Cricketers’ attack at Stamford Bridge.

In 2009, Gary starred in the Yorkshire Academy side that won the ECB Oxbridge Yorkshire County Premier League Cup and finished second in the League. The highlight of his Academy season was a tremendous 236 not out against Sheffield Collegiate in the Cup Semi-Final. He shared an opening stand of 296 with Joe Root as the Academy posted a mammoth 357-1 and won by 155 runs.

Gary played five times for Zimbabwe in the 2006 Under 19s World Cup in Sri Lanka, but is qualified to play for England. More performances like he has produced in the last two years and international cricket could come sooner rather than later.

JAMES BUTTLER
January 2012