David Byas was yesterday confirmed as Yorkshire's new Director of Cricket, and his first big task when he takes up the appointment on January 1 will be to decide how to restructure the coaching.

The former captain, who led Yorkshire to their first Championship title in 33 years in 2001, has been given a two-year contract with the option of a third.

Chief executive Colin Graves spelled it out at Headingley yesterday that Byas will have complete control of the team.

It was also revealed that Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey, who has spent the last five years helping Gloucestershire become kings of one-day cricket, will join Yorkshire next season alongside fellow Aussie Darren Lehmann.

Byas, whose new post was disclosed in Northern Echo SPORT on Saturday, said: "I think that to take charge of Yorkshire is a terrific opportunity, the sort that doesn't come along every day, and I am looking forward to it immensely.

"I have had a lot of good times with Yorkshire and I hope that this is the start of more good times.

"We have still got pretty much the same team that lifted the Championship title in 2001.

"They are quality players and it is my job to find out why we went pear-shaped and to get the backbone back into Yorkshire cricket.

"I was both surprised and disappointed at the sharp dip in fortunes soon after I left, but that is a thing of the past.

"I have tasted success with Yorkshire and it is still sweet in my mouth. We also won the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy the year after taking the Championship, so we are not unused to winning things."

Byas said he had not radically missed being away from cricket for a year but he had found this opportunity to return to Yorkshire too good to turn his back on.

Another early decision Byas will have to make is whether to re-appoint Anthony McGrath as captain, and although McGrath is likely to retain the job for a second season nothing will be confirmed until the New Year.

Graves said that Geoff Cope would become operations director and take charge of the administration.

He would be responsible, among other things, for liaising with Headingley's owners, Leeds Cricket, Football and Athletic Company.

Cope said he was delighted that Harvey would join next season. They had received the verbal approval of the Australian Cricket Board that Harvey could come to Headingley and it was not expected there would be any problems.

It was strongly rumoured last September that Harvey was coming to Yorkshire but no deal was struck at the time.

Harvey said last night: "After five years of happy and successful times with Gloucestershire I returned home to consider my future but when I received a call from Yorkshire I knew straightaway of their tradition and history and their current situation.

"I was extremely honoured that they had thought of me.

"I wanted to be part of trying to bring Yorkshire back to where they should be and I am eagerly looking forward to this major challenge and playing a full part in their success."

Harvey, 31, has played in 61 one-day internationals for Australia, scoring 602 runs and taking 75 wickets. Last summer he became the first player to score a century in then Twenty20 Cup.