South Africa Would Welcome Back Returning Kolpak Players : Graeme Smith

[Savak]

South Africa Would Welcome Back Returning Kolpak Players: Smith

Kyle Abbott, Wayne Parnell, Rilee Roussow and Duanne Olivier are among the more prominent names to have taken Kolpak deals over the years while Dane Paterson, who played two Tests against England in January, is the latest to do so.

Cricketnext Staff |April 21, 2020, 7:10 PM IST

Cricket South Africa (CSA) director of cricket Graeme Smith said that the team will welcome back any player who would want to return to the international fold after the end of the Kolpak rule.

The loophole currently gives anyone with a work permit from a country that has an associate trading agreement with the European Union the same rights as an EU worker. Dozens of South African cricketers have signed lucrative contracts with county cricket sides over the years but this automatically disqualifies them from playing for the national team.

However, the United Kingdom's exit from the EU means that the Kolpak rule will no longer apply. "With Kolpak coming to an end, I guess the willingness is always to have our best players in the system," Smith told reporters via a video conference.

"It is up to the players to come back into the system and to make decisions on their careers.

"From our perspective, we want to encourage all our best players to play here domestically, and then give themselves the opportunity to be selected for the national side."

Kyle Abbott, Wayne Parnell, Rilee Roussow and Duanne Olivier are among the more prominent names to have taken Kolpak deals over the years while Dane Paterson, who played two Tests against England in January, is the latest to do so.

Link: https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/...k-returning-kolpak-players-smith-2587071.html

Comments: Not sure if this is the right decision. Sure this might make South Africa a strong side again but will this not invite deep resentment in the squad especially amongst those players who toilled hard in the South African team and chose to put their country first over any Kolpak deal? What will the dressing room environment be like? Also what message is this sending to players, it is okay for players to abandon their country and they will be welcomed with open arms again if they decide to go back?

 

[chacha kashmiri]

Why not offer them more money
South Africa didn't learn their lesson with KP
These players obviously feel their talent is not valued under the CSA

These players would have been first on the team sheet under cronje
It's sad how badly South African cricket has regressed
Even ab de Villiers an atg was messed around with and left cricket because of it
Graeme Smith would make ngidi a ntini when he was captain
I'm not sure what's wrong with him now

 

[Savak]

Why not offer them more money
South Africa didn't learn their lesson with KP
These players obviously feel their talent is not valued under the CSA

These players would have been first on the team sheet under cronje
It's sad how badly South African cricket has regressed
Even ab de Villiers an atg was messed around with and left cricket because of it
Graeme Smith would make ngidi a ntini when he was captain
I'm not sure what's wrong with him now

CSA is in an even worse financial situation than the PCB. Cricket is also not that popular in South Africa. Obviously given the absence of that level of demand, CSA would argue that the amount they pay to the players will have to be restricted

 

[chacha kashmiri]

CSA is in an even worse financial situation than the PCB. Cricket is also not that popular in South Africa. Obviously given the absence of that level of demand, CSA would argue that the amount they pay to the players will have to be restricted

U can see why the players are getting contracts in England

 

[o_ahsan99]

South Africa Would Welcome Back Returning Kolpak Players: Smith

Kyle Abbott, Wayne Parnell, Rilee Roussow and Duanne Olivier are among the more prominent names to have taken Kolpak deals over the years while Dane Paterson, who played two Tests against England in January, is the latest to do so.

Cricketnext Staff |April 21, 2020, 7:10 PM IST

Cricket South Africa (CSA) director of cricket Graeme Smith said that the team will welcome back any player who would want to return to the international fold after the end of the Kolpak rule.

The loophole currently gives anyone with a work permit from a country that has an associate trading agreement with the European Union the same rights as an EU worker. Dozens of South African cricketers have signed lucrative contracts with county cricket sides over the years but this automatically disqualifies them from playing for the national team.

However, the United Kingdom's exit from the EU means that the Kolpak rule will no longer apply. "With Kolpak coming to an end, I guess the willingness is always to have our best players in the system," Smith told reporters via a video conference.

"It is up to the players to come back into the system and to make decisions on their careers.

"From our perspective, we want to encourage all our best players to play here domestically, and then give themselves the opportunity to be selected for the national side."

Kyle Abbott, Wayne Parnell, Rilee Roussow and Duanne Olivier are among the more prominent names to have taken Kolpak deals over the years while Dane Paterson, who played two Tests against England in January, is the latest to do so.

Link: https://www.news18.com/cricketnext/...k-returning-kolpak-players-smith-2587071.html

Comments: Not sure if this is the right decision. Sure this might make South Africa a strong side again but will this not invite deep resentment in the squad especially amongst those players who toilled hard in the South African team and chose to put their country first over any Kolpak deal? What will the dressing room environment be like? Also what message is this sending to players, it is okay for players to abandon their country and they will be welcomed with open arms again if they decide to go back?

There is a little more context to it. For several years cricket in SA has struggled due to racial quotas. A lot of these Kolpak players left SA due to this. These players were good enough to make the playing 11 but were left out to accommodate players of color. This lead to some of the players of color getting disheartened as well since they felt that even though they were good enough to earn their spot in the team, their peers looked at them as quota players.
Additionally, Smith is not welcoming them back to the national side directly. He is encouraging them to play local domestic cricket and compete for a place in the national side. Nothing wrong with that. It will only improve the standard of domestic cricket.

 

[MMHS]

They should be welcomed in SAF cricket - but that doesn’t mean, it should be an “entitlement” for them to be in starting XI - players must qualify according to the selection criteria of South Africa.

Let me remind once again - only issue with Kolpak is that, South African players found a back door to earn more money. Once PCA blocked Counties to hire almost unlimited foreigners (in 1970s & 80s, each County could fit in four foreigners just in playing XI, with several foreigners in second XI), Counties didn’t find enough quality players just from domestic sources to feed 18 Counties - Kolpak came as a saviour as it allowed them to hire top talents from two of the most talented cricket nations (SAF & WIN), but financially much, much weaker than British market. In 1970 or 1980s, had that quota been reduced to single foreigners, I am sure instead of WIN, England would have been the most dominant team - each of Lloyd, Roberts, Viv, Grineedge, Holding, Rowe, Garner, Haynes, Ambrose, Walsh, Croft, Marshall, Davis, Benjamin, Richardson, Doujon,..... and may be Hadlee (NZ) would/could have defected and later played for England. These players were eligible for Kolpak, if same rule was applied that time. In fact, Roberts, Grineedge, Marshall and Holding (?) were eligible to start career for England. On a positive note - had Kolpak been applied then, we probably could have seen what wonderful cricketers BA Richards, Proctor, Rice, Hanley, Vd Bijl, Le Roux... were at International level - each had the age to spend few years and qualify for England.

The problem wasn’t with SAF players - if eligible, several PAK, Lanka & BD players, even fringe Indian players (despite BCCI riches, as long as it doesn’t affect their IPL career) would have opted for Kolpak. In 1970s several PAK players left for WSC while as recent as 2007, almost entire PAK team joined ICL - and both groups were welcomed to PCT later, some of them went on to captain PCT, therefore, I don’t think we should bash SAF players only - they should be considered for selection instantly (but within the quota system - that’s essential for this game to survive in SAF).

 

[cricketjoshila]

After Brexit, will Kolpak apply?

 

[Bewal Express]

There is a little more context to it. For several years cricket in SA has struggled due to racial quotas. A lot of these Kolpak players left SA due to this. These players were good enough to make the playing 11 but were left out to accommodate players of color. This lead to some of the players of color getting disheartened as well since they felt that even though they were good enough to earn their spot in the team, their peers looked at them as quota players.
Additionally, Smith is not welcoming them back to the national side directly. He is encouraging them to play local domestic cricket and compete for a place in the national side. Nothing wrong with that. It will only improve the standard of domestic cricket.

The solution to the Quota issue is simple- just have more teams. That way the Non white and white players get a chance to play. It will obviously cost more but you dont stop good players playing because of their colour. It will also force the black batsman to play against good bowlers like Abbot, Olivier etc and that can only be a good thing.

 

[Savak]

Dont understand this quota vs non quota business. The best players in the country must play in the international side, whatever the colour of their skin becomes immaterial. If 11 white players are the best in the country then so be it, if 8 white players and 3 black players are the best then so be it. The free market must decide. Unfortunately the vast majority of the black players being forcefully selected in the SA team have not been good enough compared to better white alternatives sitting in domestic cricket.

 

[tyron_woodley]

Dont understand this quota vs non quota business. The best players in the country must play in the international side, whatever the colour of their skin becomes immaterial. If 11 white players are the best in the country then so be it, if 8 white players and 3 black players are the best then so be it. The free market must decide. Unfortunately the vast majority of the black players being forcefully selected in the SA team have not been good enough compared to better white alternatives sitting in domestic cricket.

not really. The white population of south africa deserve to be punished for discriminating the majority of non whites in the past. They were not allowed the opportunity to have privilged lifestyles. So the quota system is fair. It's the native saffers's country and they can do as they please.

Ideally yes I would want to see the best players play provided all races in s.africa are have access to special.privileges of playing in private schools etc.

 

[Savak]

not really. The white population of south africa deserve to be punished for discriminating the majority of non whites in the past. They were not allowed the opportunity to have privilged lifestyles. So the quota system is fair. It's the native saffers's country and they can do as they please.

Ideally yes I would want to see the best players play provided all races in s.africa are have access to special.privileges of playing in private schools etc.

African American's were discriminated against in the US for the longest time, eventually the discrimination ended and the free market allowed the blacks to integrate into the system and institutions gradually. Deliberately selecting a poor quality black player over a deserving high quality white player is what has resulted in the decline of South African Cricket.

 

[aloo paratha]

Dont understand this quota vs non quota business. The best players in the country must play in the international side, whatever the colour of their skin becomes immaterial. If 11 white players are the best in the country then so be it, if 8 white players and 3 black players are the best then so be it. The free market must decide. Unfortunately the vast majority of the black players being forcefully selected in the SA team have not been good enough compared to better white alternatives sitting in domestic cricket.

The policy is racist to the core.

 

[Robert]

After Brexit, will Kolpak apply?

The players will have to apply for work permits as did Proctor, Rice, Lamb did before the Kolpak ruling.

 

[Thunderbolt14]

I think the idea is affirmative action. SA cricket might suffer for a few years but dark skinned kids will now have role models to look up to. If you maintain a mostly all white team, 50 years from now you will probably still have an all white team because it’s a mostly white sport

For example, in the US, universities tend to have a quota for low income students even if they don’t have as good SAT scores as people who end up rejected. They didn’t have access to the same resources, and not admitting them keeps the class structure intact. It’s a common practice to equalize the playing field.

It’s really a question of what the cricket board values more. Short term, yeah SA could have a better cricket team. Long term, they won’t be able to grow the sport in the country.

 

[Ahson8]

Rossouw and maybe Ingram could be good additions. Olivier in test matches. The rest, I dont think so

 

[HitWicket]

Rossouw and maybe Ingram could be good additions. Olivier in test matches. The rest, I dont think so

Abbott? Would be interesting to see how Harmer would go as well given his recent exploits. Would've though Ingram's getting a bit too old now for a comeback.

 

[MenInG]

Mr Hira added: “In addition to the floods and COVID-19, we’ve also had to deal with the impact of Brexit.

“It does mean Kolpak players have come to an end. Wayne Parnell was signed as a Kolpak player, effectively a domestic player, and he will not be playing for us next year.

https://wccc.co.uk/worcestershire-ccc-members-update-by-club-chairman-fanos-hira/

 

[cricketjoshila]

Mr Hira added: “In addition to the floods and COVID-19, we’ve also had to deal with the impact of Brexit.

“It does mean Kolpak players have come to an end. Wayne Parnell was signed as a Kolpak player, effectively a domestic player, and he will not be playing for us next year.

https://wccc.co.uk/worcestershire-ccc-members-update-by-club-chairman-fanos-hira/

What about other Kolpak players?

 

[silentkiller187]

After Brexit, will Kolpak apply?

All kolpak players will have to apply for work permits and will be considered as overseas players once the county season starts, so thre will be a few players looking for new teams/jobs, going back to the SA circuit may be the only choice for some, so good to see Smith will not penalise them. But agreed the bigger issue is the quota system, i think it has done more harm then the good it was supposed to.

 

[cricketjoshila]

All kolpak players will have to apply for work permits and will be considered as overseas players once the county season starts, so thre will be a few players looking for new teams/jobs, going back to the SA circuit may be the only choice for some, so good to see Smith will not penalise them. But agreed the bigger issue is the quota system, i think it has done more harm then the good it was supposed to.

Icc should relax the nationality rule for Saffers. Right now if a player has represented a test playing nation, he cant represent another for 5 years.

This needs to relaxed if SA is going to apply the quota system. Saffers should be eligible to represent another country, if they get the citizenship, 24 months post their last match for SA.

Let these white players have some chance to show their skills.

 

[silentkiller187]

Icc should relax the nationality rule for Saffers. Right now if a player has represented a test playing nation, he cant represent another for 5 years.

This needs to relaxed if SA is going to apply the quota system. Saffers should be eligible to represent another country, if they get the citizenship, 24 months post their last match for SA.

Let these white players have some chance to show their skills.

In my opinion the quota system is outdated, i have a feeling it will be relaxed soon otherwise it will be a revolving door, players either go and live in countries like england gain nationality and then play for them (kp etc) or they become t20 mercenaries flying from league to league, SA cricket will be the only one to suffer..

 

[HitWicket]

Icc should relax the nationality rule for Saffers. Right now if a player has represented a test playing nation, he cant represent another for 5 years.

This needs to relaxed if SA is going to apply the quota system. Saffers should be eligible to represent another country, if they get the citizenship, 24 months post their last match for SA.

Let these white players have some chance to show their skills.

The ICC regulations only require 3 years between full members with no requirement for citizenship as long as the player was born in the country or lived there for that 3 year period.