Darren Gough has quit Yorkshire but has no intention of retiring from county cricket just yet.

Gough, 32, cited "family reasons" for his decision, and says he still has hopes of winning back his one-day place with England.

Yorkshire agreed to terminate his contract, which was due to run until the end of the upcoming season, after receiving a written request from Gough yesterday morning to leave the club.

Gough was unable to attend yesterday's hastily arranged press conference at Headingley but a statement was read out on his behalf by Yorkshire chief executive Colin Graves.

"I wish to confirm that, for family reasons, I have agreed with Yorkshire CCC that, after 15 very happy years, I will leave the club," said Gough.

"I am incredibly grateful for the support that the club and fans have shown to me throughout my Yorkshire and England career and I would especially like to thank Colin Graves, who as well as being my employer remains a true friend.

"Having joined Yorkshire under the Youth Training Scheme when I was 18 it has been one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make and I was guided ultimately by the fact that I need to spend less time commuting and much more time with my young children.

"My definite aim is to continue playing first class cricket and hopefully regain my one-day international place. I hope to make a further announcement on my future within the next few weeks."

Yorkshire's director of cricket, David Byas, said he was sad and disappointed that Gough had decided to leave Yorkshire but he respected his decision.

"We don't enjoy anybody leaving the club but we want people here who want to play for Yorkshire and we won't stand in the way of anyone who says that Yorkshire is not for them," said Byas.

Graves, a personal friend of Gough's said he did not feel hurt that Gough was leaving but was disappointed.

"Yorkshire have helped him over the past few years when times have been difficult but it is not a quick decision which Darren has made," said Graves.

He revealed that Gough was one of the players that Yorkshire had spoken to about the captaincy but he had made it clear that he did not want to go down that route.

Gough's determination to have his contract terminated with Yorkshire suggests that he may well have a specific county in mind and either Middlesex or Essex could be strong candidates for his signature. Essex showed a keen interest in Gough before the start of last season and it is well known that Gough gets on well with Nasser Hussain.

Both counties are reasonably close to Milton Keynes, where Gough has got a flat, and to Stewkley in Buckinghamshire where his estranged wife and two young sons live.

Gough's 229 Test wickets at 28.39 runs apiece make him England's eighth most successful bowler in history, but his first class figures with Yorkshire are not quite so outstanding. In 124 matches, Gough claimed 407 wickets at 27.23 runs apiece, leaving him well short of the list of 31 bowlers who have captured 500 wickets or more for the county.

Gough has played in 121 one-day internationals for England and taken 188 wickets and in 114 county league matches for Yorkshire he claimed 163 dismissals.