You are here:

David Byas

The Club

Interact

Discuss this story in the White Rose Forum

Name:
David Byas

Born:
August 26, 1963, Middledale, Kilham, Yorkshire

Role:
Left-hand bat, Right-arm medium

County Debut:
1986-2001

County Cap:
14 July 2001. YCCC Cap No. 133.

Nickname:
Bingo

Career Highlight:
Lifting the 2001 County Championship as Yorkshire captain

STATISTICS

BATTING AND FIELDING AVERAGES

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Ct	St
First-class	283	474	44	15082	213	35.07	29	83	366	0
List A	332	320	37	8116	116*	28.67	5	46	139	0

BOWLING AVERAGES

	Mat	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	5w	10
First-class	283	1118	727	12	3/55		60.58	3.90	93.1	0	0
List A	332	848	659	25	3/19	3/19	26.36	4.66	33.9	0	0

PROFILE

Strong minded, straight talking and standing at an imposing 6 foot 4 inches, David will be forever remembered as the first Yorkshire captain in 33 years to lift the County Championship trophy in 2001.

He played hockey for England at Under-21 level and captained Scarborough Cricket Club at just 21-years-old. The vast volume of runs he scored at North Marine Road attracted the attention of Yorkshire CCC.

He first played for his native county at 23 in 1986, but did not manage to get a regular place in the Yorkshire 1st Team until 1988. He had to work hard at his technique, particularly against spin, and succeeded Martyn Moxon as Yorkshire captain in 1996.

A professional farmer whose hobby just happened to be cricket he his Yorkshire side in the same wholehearted manner that he expected his players to play with. It was this attitude and mindset that allowed him to rise above the back-biting and in-fighting that characterised the Yorkshire dressing-room for much of the 1980s and 1990s.

Under Byas's leadership Yorkshire finished 2nd in the Championship twice. His own form was good enough to take him close to England selection in 1995 when he averaged 56. He also added his bucket hands to the slip cordon with exceptional skill.

He gained his nickname 'Bingo' from David Bairstow who suggested that his east coast heritage would mean he'd be addicted to slot machines, candy-floss and kiss-me-quick hats. His real loves however were motor racing, rugby union, a pint of guiness and time at home on his farm with his family.

Despite success in winning the County Championship in 2001 he felt marginalised by the Club and announced his retirement in 2002, but was persuaded by Lancashire to play for one more year and became the first player to be capped by both counties.

He couldn't stay away from Yorkshire for long, however, and returned to Headingley in 2004 as their new head coach. When he was replaced by Martyn Moxon in 2007 he declined another appointment with the county and left the Club in January 2008.

David now works for the ECB after they appointed him in April 2007 to train umpires.

JMB October 2010.