Yorkshire have failed in their bid to hold on to Michael Lumb.

The left-handed batsman has signed up with Hampshire, as revealed on the T&A website yesterday, and will play under the captaincy of Australian spin wizard Shane Warne.

But Yorkshire's disappointment at not keeping Lumb was offset when they were able to confirm Chris Adams will be joining them from Sussex as captain.

Adams was due to be unveiled at a Headingley press conference today.

Yorkshire offered 26-year-old Lumb a contract extension and improved personal terms in an attempt to persuade him to stay but he still decided to move on.

The first signs that Lumb was discontented surfaced last year when he briefly lost his first-team place and since then he has never appeared entirely comfortable.

"We're sorry to lose a player of Michael's undoubted ability and potential," said Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan.

"Despite lengthy talks to persuade him his future was at Headingley, we fully respect his decision to leave."

Lumb added: "I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Yorkshire but felt the opportunity to take on a fresh challenge to reignite my desire to play at the highest level was too much to turn down.

"I would like to thank everyone involved with Yorkshire for the help and support they have shown me over the years and sincerely wish the club well in the future."

Although Lumb has an abundance of natural talent and is a gifted stroke-player, he has not progressed at the rate many expected.

A couple of years ago he seemed to be on the brink of an international career but this has not yet materialised and it could well be that a new club will help spur him on.

Born in Johannesburg, Lumb is the son of former Yorkshire opening batsman Richard and has scored 4,194 first-class runs with eight centuries for the county at an average of 34.09.

In all one-day games, excluding Twenty20, he has notched 2,592 runs at 29.45 with 11 scores above 50, although a century still eludes him.

Lumb once represented South Africa in the Under-19s World Cup but decided the best way to a first-class career was by coming to England.

After a couple of seasons with Yorkshire seconds, he made his senior debut in 2000 and received his county cap in 2003.

He has played in 78 first-class matches and 102 limited-overs games plus several Twenty20 matches in which he occasionally took the bowling apart with a breathtaking array of strokes.

The signing of Younis Khan and Adams mean Lumb should not be missed too much, particularly if Anthony McGrath patches up his differences with Yorkshire and decides to stay.

Regan was due to have more talks with McGrath today in an attempt to resolve matters amicably but the player is unlikely to find that Yorkshire are willing to release him from his contract.

"Anthony still has two years to go and the club would expect him to see out the remainder of his contract," said Regan.

Since it became known that McGrath was unsettled, York-shire have been contacted by several other counties but they have been reminded he is under contract and they do not want him to leave.