Gary Ballance has impressed many an onlooker with runs in all forms for Yorkshire this summer, not least his uncle Dave!

The left-hander, 22, has posted 683 runs in 2012, including two hundreds and two fifties.

Now an England Lions candidate for later in the summer, he was not even a regular in any of Yorkshire’s teams at the start of 2011.

And that has delighted former Zimbabwe coach Dave Houghton, who is Ballance’s uncle.

“Gary’s starting to reach his full potential,” said Houghton, who convinced his nephew to spend the two most recent winters playing domestic cricket in Zimbabwe.

“For a long time, he was just a youngster coming through but playing first-team cricket at Yorkshire has done wonders for him.

“The cricket in Zimbabwe is not as strong as in England, but it’s allowed him to get some first-class hundreds.

"He’s obviously come back to Yorkshire full of confidence. His game has definitely developed very quickly. He’s got everything.”

Ballance’s versatility is highlighted by him being Yorkshire’s leading run-scorer across all three formats combined this summer.

Arguably the best knock of his career was the unbeaten 121 to help chase down 400 in the second innings against Gloucestershire in May’s LV= County Championship match.

“He’s got all the shots and the variations in one-day cricket, but then you can put him in the first-class arena and he can hold an end up as long as you want,” added Houghton, currently on the coaching staff at Derbyshire.

“Look at the big hundred he got when they chased down 400 at Bristol. When you’re chasing 400 and you get a hundred to get your team over the line, that shows more than just ability. That shows enormous mental strength.”

Yorkshire are next in Twenty20 action against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Thursday.

One win from three matches will secure a quarter-final place.