Brexit – the End of Kolpak Cricketers?

I know we’re all fed up with Brexit. The lies, the chaos, the uncertainty, It seems endless. While our MPs and civil servants wrestle with what will happen to trade deals, supplies of medicine, customs, migration and employee rights in the European Union, they seem to have ignored the biggest issue of them all: what does pulling up the drawbridge mean for Kolpak cricketers?!

As far as I can work out, the loophole which allows cricketers and other sportsmen from particular nations to work in the UK as non-overseas players will no longer exist when we leave the EU. What’s your view on that one, Boris?

The Kolpak issue has divided cricket fans ever since 2004 when the likes of Claud Henderson and Greg Smith led a mainly South African migration into the county game. They were mostly ex-internationals with talent and experience but little hope of breaking into the Proteas’ squad, and many felt they were mercenaries depriving locals from work opportunities and probably stealing our women, too. 

However, they were frequently filling gaps left by the central contact system. When the ECB in their wisdom ruled that England stars could represent their counties only with the big cheeses’ express permission, supporters had fewer reasons to attend matches at their local ground. However, it was the smaller, Division Two clubs like Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Somerset who were quickest to take advantage.

While the new breed of foreign imports didn’t exactly set the domestic game alight like a Warne or Jayasuriya, many became popular county servants and influential captains in all formats. Andrew Hall and Nicky Boje were excellent for Northants, Charl Willoughby and Alfonso Thomas took shedloads of wickets for Somerset and Martin van Jaarsveld was a leading run scorer over several seasons in Division One. 

Jacques Rudolph proved so reliable for Yorkshire, he relinquished his Kolpak status to play for his country, and this also happened to others. Nevertheless Kolpakers from SA and the West Indies have made significant contribution to Championship successes in recent years. It was under Dale Benkenstein's captaincy that Durham won their first ever pennant.  Ashwell Prince, Alviro Petersen and Kyle Jarvis were superb for Lancashire, while Simon Harmer’s spin was crucial for Essex’s title challenge. Colin Ingram has kept Glamorgan afloat many a time, while Hampshire’s Kyle Abbott and Fidel Edwards currently form one of the top new-ball pairings in Division One.

It’s great to see young players emerge from the age-group county cricket or club system but the number of Kolpakers in recent years has hardly been excessive. Also if youngsters benefit from advice and coaching of the experienced imports then it has to be a positive. What will be the result of a ‘No Deal Brexit’? Will such players be sent packing or could there be a backstop which even the DUP can support? If the Kolpak contingent is removed, will they be missed? Of course, but county cricket will go on.

Van der Merwe brings Somerset to Life

The opening fixtures of the Royal London Cup produced some memorable batting performances, especially by South Africans, with bowlers struggling to make a mark.

In the North division, Yorkshire and Worcestershire each won both of their matches. The former enjoyed easy victories over Nottinghamshire (helped by Bresnan’s bowling and Joe Root’s unbeaten 75) and Lancashire, who were undone by a 143-run stand between Handscomb and Ballance, and the spin of Rashid and Rafiq. Worcester’s successes, against Notts and Leicestershire, owed more to the whole team.

The most exciting climax was witnessed by the Old Trafford crowd on Friday evening. A strong start from Hameed (on his List A debut) and a late flurry of boundaries by Joe Clark took Lancashire to 314-8. An over was lost to the weather, leaving Leicestershire a D/L target of 309. Mark Pettini and South African Cameron Delport shared a first-wicket century stand, but it was Zak Chappell’s cameo which clinched the three-wicket triumph with four balls to spare.

In the South group, Somerset are the only side with two wins out of two. Against old rivals Surrey, they found themselves in dire straits at 22-5. Enter Roelof van der Merwe. Supported by fellow Saffer Dean Elgar, he clumped 22 fours and a six en route to a career-best 165 not out, leading to victory in under 44 overs. A few days later, Elgar reached three figures himself at Hove. In a rain-affected match, Craig Overton’s 3-20 restricted Sussex to just 155-9 in their 20 overs. After two Championship defeats, Somerset needed this boost to their season!

Elsewhere, Durham skipper Keaton Jennings was in superb form. He followed his 79 in the Derbyshire ‘no result’ with a commanding century against Warwickshire. 23 year-old James Weighell weighed in with a decisive 5-57, too. Glamorgan opener Jacques Rudolph crunched 121 not out off the Gloucestershire attack and 57 versus Surrey. Team-mate Colin Ingram also enjoyed all-round success during the week.

Craig Norwell (5-36) and Benny Howell (86 not out and 3-40) were instrumental in Gloucestershire’s trumping of Middlesex, while Neil Wagner’s 4-41 was the most eye-catching contribution to Essex’s success in their only match played so far. I reckon the Chelmsford outfit will have plenty more this season, with the likes of Ten Doeschate, Westley and Ashar Zaidi on form, and then there’s Alastair Cook who’s no fool in the 50-over format.

In the coming week, three of the most interesting fixtures are Kent’s trip to Taunton, Surrey’s hosting of Essex and Yorkshire’s trip to Worcester. And then there’s the potentially popular London derby on 5th May. Middlesex won’t want to lose to Surrey at Lord’s!

Team of the Week: Rudolph (Gla), Jennings (Dur), Elgar (Som), Thakor (Nor), Ingram (Gla), van der Merwe (Som), Foakes (+, Sur), Howell (Glo), Norwell (Glo), C Overton (Som), Weighell (Dur).

IPL 0, Rest of World 3

At last, something about the Champions League to cheer about! For a tournament funded, scheduled and structured to maximise the chances of an IPL franchise victory, it must be galling for the organisers to face the situation of all three remaining teams representing either South Africa or Australia.

The scarlet-clad Lions side ended the Delhi Daredevils' unbeaten run in the competition this evening. Chris Morris took 2-7 in his four overs, including the big wickets of Warner and Pietersen, as the IPL superstars collapsed in the second half of their innings. Morris' figures were especially notable because seamers are rarely so frugal, but he was well supported by spinner Aaron Phangiso and Sohail Tanvir. Neil McKenzie, as he so often is, had been the most impressive home batsman with an unbeaten 46 from 28 balls.

The domestic T20 Challenge runners-up may not boast an international all-star cast but they had enough quality to win three out of their four Group matches. Gulam Bodi is easily the highest scorer in the Champions League so far, thanks to three half-centuries. Phangiso is second in the wicket-taking table, and has conceded on average fewer than five runs an over. Rent-a-T20 paceman Dirk Nannes may have gone with the Lions for this tourney but he has been outshone by most of his team-mates.

Vying to meet them in the Final are their domestic conquerors the Titans and Big Bash winners Sydney Sixers. Plenty of talent in this semi, too. The Aussies are awash with internationals, and on paper their bowlers look particularly impressive. Starc, Cummins and Hazelwood are top-class young seamers, backed by Henriques and a certain Shane Watson. Watto opens the batting with England's Michael Lumb, but Brad Haddin, Dominic Thornely and Steven Smith make for a fragile middle-order. Nevertheless they have a 100% record to date.

I must make the Titans favourites, especially playing at Centurion. Jacques Rudolph has been in the runs, and Roelof van der Merwe's spin has been a potent weapon, even in the thumping defeat at the hands of KKR last weekend. All it takes is for the rest of the team to reach their potential and the Sixers will have a real challenge on their hands. De Villiers, Van der Merwe (with the bat), van Jaarsveld and Alfonso Thomas are amongst the South African line-up who can do considerable damage, but against such am strong Aussie attack, the batsmen have to make steady runs if they are to win. The Warriors have been South Africa's only CLT finalists in the three previous years but it could well be two this time, while he Sixers hope to emulate NSW who won the inaugural competition in 2009. I'll stick my neck out and go for the Lions to go all the way.

Player of the Week: Jacques Rudolph

No Tests again this week, but most leading international sides were in one-day action and there were some first-class games in Pakistan, South Africa and Australia in particular.

In Hyderabad, England warmed up nicely for their brief one-day series. Scott Borthwick took five wickets and Jonny Bairstow continued where he left off in England by thrashing the attack for an unbeaten 104 in 53 balls. Surprisingly he had been unaware of his century until he returned to the pavilion because the scoreboard had not displayed the batsmen's individual scores. Well, it's easy to lose track of your total after so many fours and sixes, isn't it?! Of course, when it came to the opening ODI, MS Dhoni top-scored in a revenge victory for India.

Teenage fast bowler Pat Cummins impressed in his first T20Is for Australia against South Africa, taking 3-25 and 2-26. West Indian opener Lendl Simmons is a bit older, at 26, but he hit a one-day best of 122, then 80 in the victories over Bangladesh. He has yet to fulfil his potential at the highest level but this week may spur him on to greater things against top-class opposition. He's not the fastest scorer, but an entertaining anchor is a useful attribute for a side which can rely to much on the likes of Pollard and the Bravos in the short formats.

However, some of the most sparkling performances of the past seven days have come in the southern hemisphere. Adam Voges combined 58 and 150 not out for Western Australia against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield. Meanwhile, in South Africa, 20 year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Rudi Second, in only his seventh 1st class game, scored 78 and took an amazing twelve catches for Free State against North West in a 3-day match. There were eight in the second innings alone!

However, my Player of the Week is another South African, Jacques Rudolph. Out of the international scene for five years, he chose to develop his craft in England, becoming a prolific runscorer for Yorkshire until 2010, after which he opted to return home and maybe try to regain his Test place for the Proteas. His chances have been enhanced by the shedloads of runs made in the first three Supersport Series fixtures, culminating in his 210 and 87 for Titans vs Lions this week. Those scores bring his aggregate in three games to almost 600, failing to reach 50 only once so far.

At 30, he has time on his side to get back in favour and improve on his averages of around 36 both in 35 Tests and 45 ODIs. His career first-class average is an excellent 46 while his List A figure is an even better 49, and they are statistics of a top-notch batsman. Mind you, Messrs Smith, Amla and De Villiers are world-class acts who won't want to give up their places just yet, unless Graeme opts for retirement. If and when he does, watch out for the stylish lefthander, Jacobus Andries Rudolph, ready and willing to step up to the plate.