Ballance takes break for 'personal reasons'

Yorkshire captain Gary Ballance is set to miss "several" matches of England's domestic one-day tournament after requesting leave for personal reasons.

Ballance did not play in Yorkshire's most recent County Championship match against Surrey, and was not named for their one-day opener against Durham on Friday.

In his absence, Joe Root stood in as skipper in the first-class match, while veteran seamer Steven Patterson took on the duty as Yorkshire thrashed Durham by 142 runs at Chester-le-Street.

The club confirmed the 23-Test batsman had been permitted "time away from the game" for "personal reasons".

"Gary Ballance is set to miss several Royal London One-Day Cup fixtures after the club this week granted him some time away from the game due to personal reasons," Yorkshire said in a statement. "We ask that his privacy be respected during this time."

Ballance was selected in England's Ashes touring party last summer though he did not play a Test, scoring 51, one and 45 not out in three innings across two tour matches.

He was then omitted for England's tour of New Zealand that immediately followed the Ashes, a move that raised eyebrows considering his lack of involvement in Australia.

In the County Championship this season, the left-hander has made scores of 0, 82, 11, 19 22 and 3.

Ballance played his most recent Test in July 2017. He averages 37.45 with four hundreds and seven fifties, though he has posted a top score of 34 from his last 11 Test innings.