The Kolpak Effect

[darksideofthemoon]

Originally Posted by 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!

You don't think other counties will follow, especially with only one overseas player allowed next year? The days of two top quality Test overseas players looks to have gone with all the international cricket being played. If they do come it is only for a few weeks.

1 Derbyshire - Greg Smith-South African (Kolpak)
2 Essex -Grant Flower - Zimbabwean (Kolpak)
3 Gloucestershire -Anthony Ireland -Zimbabwean (Kolpak)
4 Kent - Ryan McLaren - South African (Kolpak)
5 Kent - Martin van Jaarsveld - South African (Kolpak)
6 Leicestershire - Hylton Ackerman - South African (Kolpak)
7 Leicestershire -Claude Henderson - South African (Kolpak)
8 Leicestershire - Garnet Kruger - South African (Kolpak)
9 Leicestershire - Arno Jacobs - South African (Kolpak)
10 Northamptonshire - Lance Klusener - South African (Kolpak)
11 Northamptonshire - Riki Wessels - South African (Kolpak)
12 Somerset - Charl Willoughby - South African (Kolpak)
13 Sussex - Murray Goodwin - Zimbabwean (Kolpak)
14 Warwickshire - Heath Streak - Zimbabwean (Kolpak)
15 Worcestershire - Ray Price - Zimbabwean (Kolpak)
16 Yorkshire - Gideon Kruis - South African (Kolpak)
17 Yorkshire - Jacques Rudolph - South African (Kolpak)

There might be more Kolpaks not on this list. Then we have EU passport holders that have yet qualified to play for England plus two overseas players and also players 35+ that won't qualify. So selectors going around the counties might not see as many players as they would like. Are counties wasting their money on Academies? Why are not more counties using the loan system if there are injuries. At Lancs we are overloaded with bowlers and hardly have any spare batsmen. We would love a batsman like Samit Patel who I see is now in the 2nd XI. We could have done a swap with you for one of our bowlers since Sidebottom is away. You did loan Newby in the year you won the title. He is our leading wicket taker this season and in the 2nd XIs at the moment.

[Rachael]

Originally Posted by flanflinger

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?

If that's the standard you are setting for playing in the side then fine... but apply it equally to English born, English qualified and overseas applicants - and if you feel that strongly about it you should be looking to get most counties fielding fewer than a full XI players in each game.

The game is their to be played: the great thing about the English game is that it creates that opportunity on a vast scale.

I'm both older overseas players and youngsters like Rudolph are enjoying cricket in this country through Kolpak: better that than them frittering away their southern-hemisphere winters thinking it is time to give up the game!

The game should be run for people who want to play it.. .and the ECB should be dedicated to people who want to play it.. and that should be irrespective of age, sex and nationality.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by darksideofthemoon

Why are not more counties using the loan system if there are injuries. At Lancs we are overloaded with bowlers and hardly have any spare batsmen. We would love a batsman like Samit Patel who I see is now in the 2nd XI. We could have done a swap with you for one of our bowlers since Sidebottom is away. You did loan Newby in the year you won the title. He is our leading wicket taker this season and in the 2nd XIs at the moment.

I'm a big fan of Samit Patel, he's very unlucky to be the man to lose out with Fleming back. The positive for Notts is that they replaced Sidebottom with Mark Footitt. It's also notable that Notts decided not to sign a temporary replacement for Fleming who missed the first seven weeks of the summer, many other counties (and Notts in the past) have signed short term replacements. I'm very happy that Notts have never signed a Kolpak player, too (both Pietersen and Greeg Smith had english passports when Clive Rice signed them).

[darksideofthemoon]

Another joins the ranks - Vaughan van Jaarsveld - South African Kolpak - Warwickshire

18 to date