ESPNCRICINFO reports that Gary Ballance has retired from all cricket - does anybody know details, what happened ?

[Googly]

Whilst we have bouts of quiet optimism about ZC, NS's continued presence is the great leveller. Held in high standing as well.

[Kriterion_BD]

Maybe the issue is one related to County Cricket in England. Taylor played, had a drug addiction. Ballance played had a drug addiction. Wasim Akram had a cocaine addicition as well. Pretty sure it was after his county stints.

[secretzimbo]

In the case of BT it was more he was homesick rather than County cricket itself being at fault. Also whilst in England i think he mostly just drank and partying? I think drugs only really happened after the India incident.

And Ballance was there 15+ years so again probably more the wider culture than county cricket itself. And again the Rafiq incident sent him over the edge

[secretzimbo]

Also worth mentioning that the ECB policy was to keep players with drug issues and drug test failures (in domestic cricket) anonymous pre-Alex Hales. So the Rafiq headlines about Yorkshire ‘covering up’ Ballance’s historic drug issues are disingenuous at best.

[ZIMDOGGY]

Maybe the issue is one related to County Cricket in England. Taylor played, had a drug addiction. Ballance played had a drug addiction. Wasim Akram had a cocaine addicition as well. Pretty sure it was after his county stints.

It’s just life. Coke is everywhere.

[jontym87]

In the case of BT it was more he was homesick rather than County cricket itself being at fault. Also whilst in England i think he mostly just drank and partying? I think drugs only really happened after the India incident.

And Ballance was there 15+ years so again probably more the wider culture than county cricket itself. And again the Rafiq incident sent him over the edge

Drugs goes a long way back guys. Don’t blame county cricket and being home sick. This whole thing started way before their county stints.

[jontym87]

Also worth mentioning that the ECB policy was to keep players with drug issues and drug test failures (in domestic cricket) anonymous pre-Alex Hales. So the Rafiq headlines about Yorkshire ‘covering up’ Ballance’s historic drug issues are disingenuous at best.

The policy was like 1 offence it will be kept private but any other drug related offence they had to make it public.

[secretzimbo]

In the case of BT it was more he was homesick rather than County cricket itself being at fault. Also whilst in England i think he mostly just drank and partying? I think drugs only really happened after the India incident.

And Ballance was there 15+ years so again probably more the wider culture than county cricket itself. And again the Rafiq incident sent him over the edge

Drugs goes a long way back guys. Don’t blame county cricket and being home sick. This whole thing started way before their county stints.

There's a difference between having a line occasionally at a party.........and having a dependency/problem.

[jaybro]

It's hardly ground breaking news that athletes do coke, as the Dogg said it's everywhere and it's very common for people to partake in.

It's disappointing if that is the reason why it's all come to an end, but we move on I guess.

[Googly]

You can smack two bottles of vodka but a line of coke is a mortal sin.