Olivier, van Zyl, Abbott, Harmer, Voljoen, Amla, Kuhn and Parnell, who were plying their trade as Kolpak representatives for county clubs in the UK, are set to make a comeback to domestic cricket.
Under the ‘Kolpak’ system, players belonging to the countries that have a deal with the European Union (EU) can participate in any cricket tournament in an EU country without being considered an overseas player.
South Africa being part of a deal called the Cotonou Agreement with the EU, county clubs could benefit from the services of Amla, Abbott and Harmer, among others, without breaching the maximum limit of overseas cricketers in a county XI.
With a stringent racial quota policy in place for each domestic and international playing XI in the rainbow nation, many Proteas’ best players have been lured towards the county circuit in the last five years to safeguard their future as cricketers. But this has also meant an unprecedented talent exodus from South Africa, weakening the game in the African country significantly, as a Kolpak player could no longer represent his nation in the international arena.
However, in a major relief for South Africa, none of the Kolpak players could retain their contracts with the county clubs this summer as the UK leaving the EU due to Brexit on January 1, 2021. The ECB cancelled all of the Kolpak deals, forcing players to sign contracts in the overseas category in order to continue playing the domestic game in the UK.
Meanwhile, the eight players mentioned above will re-enter into the South African domestic game but with a rejigged structure that once again puts the provinces against each other, with the franchise system abolished.
For 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, domestic tournaments will be transformed into a 15-team provincial system. Following the two summers, a promotion/relegation will be in force. There are eight provincial teams in Division 1, namely Boland and North West, Eastern Province, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal Coastal, Northerns, and Western Province.
The squads for the eight teams have been announced. It is understood that the 16 nationally contracted players will also be featuring in the matches.
Boland’s team will be bolstered by the return of Hardus, Abbott, and Stiaan, while Hashim Amla and Wayne Parnell will play for Western Province. Central Gauteng Lions, Northerns, and Northwest will have Olivier, Simon, and Heino, respectively. Olivier, the tall right-arm speedster who had done well for South Africa before his premature retirement, is the most likely player to make a national comeback among the eight Kolpak returnees.
South Africa head coach Mark Boucher, though, urged Olivier to show form at the domestic level before being considered for reselection.
“There are a lot of things that need to happen for him to be even considered. He has to show form at the franchise level. We can’t judge him on what he’s done overseas and what he’s done in the past. He’s got to come into our system and perform properly.”
Boucher was quoted as saying by Sports 24.
