“KOLPAK” to PACK-UP the BACK-UP PROTEAS?

The latest speculation doing the rounds in international cricket is Kyle Abbott’s decision to sign the Kolpak deal for 3 years, bringing his SA career to an end. It seemed to be a shock when Kyle Abbott got an extended run in the South African team, courtesy a Dale Steyn injury. Hours later, his team-mate Rilee Rossouw followed suit by signing for the same county as Abbott for the same span. What is this Kolpak Deal all about and what does it have to do with this span and signings. 

Kolpak Deal: A Kolpak Deal is a deal signed in which citizens of countries who have signed the European Union Association Agreements have the same right to work as the EU citizens. It would mean that a non-EU player can play in the EU country as a local player not as an overseas player. It also comes with the condition that a player must have played a certain number of matches for the national side before he gets eligible for the deal. That might bring in a huge difference to the side where an experienced foreign player gets to play as a local player thus making space for another overseas recruit like imagining Dwayne Bravo playing for an IPL franchise as an Indian player which makes room for another overseas player to fill in the 4^th overseas player spot.

Span of Kolpak Deal: The Kolpak deal comes at a fixed span of 3 years meaning your primary concern would be to play matches in the EU country and then if in the off-season to play for the home country. During the term of the deal, the Kolpak player becomes in-eligible for selection for the national team and he may be selected once his deal expires. This would also mean that they would not be able to play in the IPL with the English season also starting at the same time, though they are free to play in the other T20 leagues provided it is off-season.

Why South Africa: The players in South Africa are now hit with the problem of Quota/Reservation system where in a min of 6 players of colour should be picked in the playing XI on average, and 2 of them must be an African Black. While this might give chances to some not-so-familiar players, talented players like Abbott are made to wait in the benches for their chances. And also with the higher money being paid in the counties because of the more number of matches, they get to play more and are paid more. Who would want to sit in the bench and earn less rather than to play somewhere and earn more? Not to forget, even the present skipper Faf du Plessis had a late start to his career compared to his childhood friend AB de Villiers because of the same deal. It would now be hurting to South Africa with more of their back-up players choosing to play in EU countries, which will have a serious set-back if a main player gets injured. You had an Abbott for Steyn, Rossouw for de Villiers, but now they are not there. They chose to play in the light instead of being a mere shadow in the team.

Who are those players who departed?

Simon Harmer: A RH batsman and an off-break bowler who will play for Essex.

Stiaan van Zyl: A LH batsman and Medium pace bowler who will play for Sussex.

Hardus Viljoen: Right Arm Fast bowler who will play for Derbyshire.

Kyle Abbott: Right Arm Fast bowler who will play for Hampshire.

Rilee Rossouw: LH batsman and an occasional opener who will play for Hampshire.

David Wiese: RH batsman and a Right Arm Medium Fast Bowler who will play for Sussex

Up and waiting to join the list are

Dane Vilas, wicket keeper

Dane Piedt, Right arm off-spinner 

Why the rush: Once the Br-Exit comes into full-effect, players can’t sign as Kolpak players for the English counties and so the English counties are now in a rush to get the signature of all the Kolpak players as early as possible.

The impact of this double-sided. On the one side, it affects South Africa whose bench strength is weakened and on the other side, aspiring young English players have to wait for their chances at domestic level also.

For the betterment of the South African Cricket, they would be better with that Reservation System put-off or there are more Abbotts and Rossouws ready to leave your country.

Guha Karthikeyan S T