The Kolpak Effect

[flanflinger]

Right OK, that won't happen in the Championship becasue of the strict rules on player registration and transfers.

http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/engla...ry/259645.html

But if my system was put in place Leicester would know they could afford to pay a player like Broad more, as he will repay financial rewards as well as rewards on the pitch.

[joeguy]

aaaaaaaaahhhh but that would mean you consider KP to be English and not a Saffa! So it is fair to say that English/EU passport and Kolpak players do ultimately feed the England team...if you recruit them early enough.

[Statto]

This wouldnt be an issue if all the Kolpak players were that good though, its the ones who are just about adequete (like a youth player when he moves up to the first team) but are 30 and arent going to improve or mature to have a shot at international cricket. Broad for example was probably no better than an alternative 32yo Kolpak player somewhere, who could have been signed up with less risk but ultimately very little chance of rewards.

[flanflinger]

Statto,

You have hit the nail on the head. There are some good players out there on Kolpaks. But there are also some very average ones who are older and basically over here to for the money.

For me if a player is not good enough to be one of the two official overseas players, why is he playing in the side?

Many of the guys are as you say on the older side and are taking the place of home grown players. This is my problem, but I don't counties doing it. I just feel if they are not contributing to the England Test team (where the money comes from) then they should get a reduced share of the pie.

[joeguy]

well the Counties have to govern that and make sure they do their research and trial players properly before they offer contracts. They should be looking at the younger players but let's take Benkenstein as an example, good professional, plenty of experience and just what Durham needed. They had a talented young side but no experience. A senior English player won't move from say Surrey to Durham, first for financial reasons and secondly, where would you rather bat? Benkensteing ends up as captain, although there is no chance of him playing for England, he will do a job bringing through furture England players.

I think you have to look at each case on its merits. Yes, you want these foreigners to go over young so that they can still qualify for England but then there will be an outcry that these young foreign players are taking the place of a home grown player. Counties need to find the balance and I don't think anyone is going to sign up a foreign player unless he is head and shoulders above a local.

Besides the mass signings at Northants under Wessels, there have been no real bad signings of Kolpak players, all have done a job. Yorkshire can't hold on to any of their local seamers and HAD TO buy Kruis who yes, is there for the money, but at least they can bank on having him for an extended period of time without fear of someone poaching him.

[Wanderer]

I just wish Paul Harris never signed up as a Kolpak player...He took 15 wickets for Warwickshire in his first 3 matches for them...and he was the joint highest wicket-taker in last years SS series..

And SA really, really, really need a good SLA spin bowler at the moment...

[greg]

Originally Posted by joeguy

Yorkshire can't hold on to any of their local seamers and HAD TO buy Kruis who yes, is there for the money, but at least they can bank on having him for an extended period of time without fear of someone poaching him.

I am disgusted that Yorkshire have Kruis.It isn't as though he is better than the bowlers he has replaced is it?

As for not being able to hang to their own well Gough and Silverwood were always injured so it made sense to get rid of them but losing Sidebottom was a big mistake.

[joeguy]

Kruis averages 30 with the ball, swings it, steady, doesn't get injured often, had a great first season and will end his career with Yorkshire. Can't see where they went wrong signing him. As for Silvers....63 wickets for Middlesex on that deck...not too shabby!

Paul Harris is a top bowler, great signing for Warks. What makes his achievements in South Africa all the more remarkable is that he was the highest wicket taking spin bowler in domestic first class cricket in SA since Hugh Tayfield. For those who know nothing of "toey" Tayfield, his career ended in the 1962/63 season. Surely something is not right if Harris can't get on the tour of Sri Lanka after such a remarkable achievement and who does he lose out to?

Name Mat O M R W Ave Best 5 10 SR Econ Team

PL Harris 11 379.5 104 1053 49 21.48 6-54 4 - 46.5 2.77 TITANS
T Tshabalala 5 117.3 18 445 13 34.23 4-129 - - 54.2 3.78 EAGLES

and this guy is not in the picture anymore:

N Boje 6 276 81 613 40 15.32 8-93 4 1 41.4 2.22 EAGLES

Those on here who have been saying Boje and Dippenaar are average cricketer are obviously watching a different game. Dippenaar has always been moved around in the order. He made his first class debut batting in the middle order at 5 and would be a great number 4/5 but SA insist on using him as an opening batsman from time to time...totally out of position.

[darksideofthemoon]

I cannot believe it Leics have signed their 4th Kolpak player and looking for their 2nd overseas player as well.

Kruger
Ackerman
Jacobs
Henderson

[Notts Exile]

As a Notts fan we have little love for Leicestershire anyway but this will result in them being disliked by all other counties. It was they who broke the gentlemen's agreement the counties had initially not to sign Kolpak players. This is merely a continuation. Hopefully the ECB will increase the pressure, financially, on counties to field England qualified players. Then we could see Leicestershire go out of business, a few more and those wanting a reduction in the number of counties would get their wish!