[4] Yardy made his Sussex debut in an early-season NatWest Trophy game against Hertfordshire in May 1999.

In the one-day game, Yardy was less successful with the bat, averaging well under 20, but he achieved a career-best bowling performance of 6/27 against Warwickshire in the Totesport League.

[a][6] In December, Yardy was not included in the England squad for the one-day series in Australia following a disappointing 2006 ICC Champions Trophy performance in India.

Yardy was then recalled to the ODI side and was again ever-present in the early-summer series against Australia and Bangladesh.

Although he only took four wickets in eight games, he proved to be economical at only 4.36 runs an over and scored his first international half-century, making 57 at The Oval against Australia.

[11] After his playing career ended, Yardy completed a sports psychology degree at Chichester University.

After working part-time with First XI players at the end of the 2016 season, Yardy was appointed batting coach at the club in February 2017.

[14] After two and a half seasons working at Sussex, during which time he had also coached the England under-19 side, Yardy left the club at the end of July 2019 and took up a position as batting coach at New South Wales ahead of the 2019/20 Australian season.