Grayson was appointed ahead of former England international players Jonathan Trott and Mike Yardy. © Getty

Former Essex head coach, Paul Grayson, has been appointed as Yorkshire's batting coach. Grayson, who has been coaching at Durham University and with the Yorkshire Diamonds KSL team since leaving Essex in 2015, was appointed ahead of former England international players Jonathan Trott and Mike Yardy who Cricbuzz understand were also interviewed for the role.

Grayson's brief includes working with the academy and second XI batsmen as well as with the first team squad, assisting Director of Cricket Martyn Moxon and Head Coach Andrew Gale. Given Grayson's work with Durham University's students over the last three years, where Yorkshire's new signing Will Fraine worked under him, plus his experience of county cricket, it appears he is well suited to the role.

The 47-year-old, who lives in the area, will add some experience to a relatively inexperienced coaching group. Gale moved straight from playing to the head coach role last season while bowling coach Richard Pyrah only retired from first-class cricket in 2015 and Yorkshire's results in Gale's first season in charge were mixed.

A revamp of the squad has taken place in order to change the profile of an ageing group. Several high profile departures, such as those of Jack Brooks and Liam Plunkett, are set against the arrivals of younger players in leg-spinner Josh Poysden, fast-bowler Matt Pillans and top-order batsman Fraine. England Test players Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow have signed new contracts.

Grayson, a former Yorkshire player who played with Moxon, will hope to get more consistency out of a talented but inconsistent Yorkshire batting line-up which has faltered for a number of seasons since they last won the Championship in 2015.

Only two batsmen averaged more than 40 in red-ball cricket last year and one of Grayson's tasks will be to get more out of the likes of Jack Leaning and Adam Lyth, two experienced batsmen who endured tough years last term. There is also a group of promising young players such as Fraine, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Harry Brooks who will be expected to kick on in red-ball cricket.

Although Grayson's time at Essex, where he was also a player, ended unhappily, he played an important role in the development of England internationals Ravi Bopara, Tom Westley and Reece Topley amongst others.