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[Nickauger]

i agree with Mr Wickets, a decent pro can lift a club and really spur on the youngsters and i speak from personal experience. I dont like cricket, I cant bowl, the ball bounces twice or goes into the net, i just like to bat and that comes from the pros that inspired me as a youngster. Its only the thought of those pros training me that made me turn up to practice as a young kid.

You don't like cricket? That explains an awful lot!

[Bats_Entertainment]

Kempston Hammers. div 4 atm. struggled for a few years with player numbers etc but used to be div 2-3 a few years ago.

Didn't realize Red Ink was from that part of the world.

[GarrettJ]

i dont like it in such a way that i know all the players, grounds, fixtures etc but i like to play cricket.

[ProCricketer1982]

Div 2 NCL isn't that low a level so assuming a club really feels it needs a short term fix then it's fine. I agree with nick that you can get much better locals for the cash BUT with locals and overseas it all comes down to research and luck. Get the right one (so petrus jefta at Oundle CC) and they can be the difference between finishing second or third or winning the league and gaining that promotion.


There is a massive part of me that hates all this 'paying players' lark, but I also know that some clubs need it as they otherwise couldn't attract the quality they need to survive in their league (or compete to the level they deem they should be).  All about winning remember now a days

[mo_town]

Overseas players for a Div 2 team?? Seems a bit of an overkill. I used to think that Overseas players were only obtained by Prem Div teams. Unless, the level of cricket is different across leagues.

[mr_wickets]

Overseas players for a Div 2 team?? Seems a bit of an overkill. I used to think that Overseas players were only obtained by Prem Div teams. Unless, the level of cricket is different across leagues.

If the div 2 team are looking to go into div 1/prem league anytime soon, by having one this year it will allow then to setup the infrastructure within the club, like the payment, where he stays, what he does during the week, what coaching he does etc. Div 2 is probably the lowest you could attract an overseas for and I think it's a good move for them to do it.

[yogi206]

I think it goes down to a clubs aspirations, but at the end of the day if you start getting an overseas / paid player it can be a slippery slope as you will go up leagues and you team skill wont improve unless you have the team that want to put the work in. like some people said earlier id get a coach have regular sessions and grow the club that way, but it isn't a quick fix.....

[ProCricketer1982]

The club I think of when I think about where a overseas can take you is Oundle CC (NCL prem). They were nothing much and then brought in Martin van de merwe and Cameron Wake and both scored 1000+ sat league runs each for 2/3/4 years in a row. Firing them up the leagues. They gained a few players from other clubs over those years and set up youth teams etc etc.


Then they had Leon Le Reux for a season who was 75-80mph but wasn't that good a bowler BUT my god was he good with bat. Not sure on his figures but he was far far too good for Div 1. They didn't win promotion that year as they couldn't bowl teams out so were only drawing. 2012/13 they have petrus jefta , who is a FAST bowler.. Very fast and he took 50+ sat league wickets in 2012 alone.

So IF used right then they enable a club to grow faster than they would normally but they can also raise a club above where they actually should be as well. Of course the locals will say not and claim it's them too but there are a lot of teams who if you removed their overseas would lack confidence, oppos would gain confidence and so would lose more.

Long term and good player coach would be best but winning and level is what most people care about.

[RichW]

The NCL league is one of the biggest in the country and therefore the standard even in Div 2 is quite strong.

We've been in this league for a couple of years and 90% of the teams have an overseas player. The only teams that don't are the 2nd teams of big clubs whose first team are in the prem.

Even in div 3/4 there are a number of overseas players.

In our experience of the last 5/6 years overseas players have added a huge amount. In cricket terms they have always performed excellent and have really driven and inspired others to perfrom better.

They have also coached the junior and senior teams, worked on the ground, worked behind the bar and managed one or more of the junior teams.

The Junior members of the club also benefit from having an overseas pro many of them are completely in awe of the guys we've had and it really helps to keep them engaged in the game and really allows cricket to offer something different from other sports such as Rugby and Football.

As a club we feel that we get excellent value from overseas players. We don't pay any English players unlike many clubs as they don't provide the added benefits that overseas players and we would rather help support our students to come home from uni to play.

[mo_town]

I guess in the end it all depends on the amount of money clubs have available...if you have the cash to invest, then there is no harm is getting an overseas player...thanks for sharing the views and thought process behind getting an overseas players!

[ProCricketer1982]

The NCL league is one of the biggest in the country and therefore the standard even in Div 2 is quite strong.

We've been in this league for a couple of years and 90% of the teams have an overseas player. The only teams that don't are the 2nd teams of big clubs whose first team are in the prem.

Even in div 3/4 there are a number of overseas players.

In our experience of the last 5/6 years overseas players have added a huge amount. In cricket terms they have always performed excellent and have really driven and inspired others to perfrom better.

They have also coached the junior and senior teams, worked on the ground, worked behind the bar and managed one or more of the junior teams.

The Junior members of the club also benefit from having an overseas pro many of them are completely in awe of the guys we've had and it really helps to keep them engaged in the game and really allows cricket to offer something different from other sports such as Rugby and Football.

As a club we feel that we get excellent value from overseas players. We don't pay any English players unlike many clubs as they don't provide the added benefits that overseas players and we would rather help support our students to come home from uni to play.

Speak to someone from Oundle CC, maybe Cameron Wake. They have cracking contacts in SA given their last two overseas. How come Joubert isn't coming back ?

[Mtown Don]

Hi all,

Just idle curiosity at this stage but does anyone know how the above agencies handle amateur enquiries?

Rules for overseas players in our leagues are very strict (max. 1 non-EU passport holder, any FC level player must be approved by the board etc.). They're also strict on financial incentives and with some reason. The standard of the league is modest but there have been some good pros in the past whose 'take' has led to some clubs suffering later I think. However, even the provision of free accommodation seems to be prohibited. I know that there are ways around this, e.g. paying for coaching (which I believe is a significant proportion of the benefit of an overseas anyway), but if there are commissions involved then that makes it difficult to organise all 'above board'.

As I say, 'blue sky thinking' for now but would be interested in your thoughts


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mr_wickets]

Alot of leagues try to impose these rules about payment of players, but it's very hard to prove if other clubs accuse you of paying a player directly.

Coaching is one way to pay them, bar work, working on the ground, a sponsor directly paying them etc are all ways around this.

[Vitas Cricket]

The club I think of when I think about where a overseas can take you is Oundle CC (NCL prem). They were nothing much and then brought in Martin van de merwe and Cameron Wake and both scored 1000+ sat league runs each for 2/3/4 years in a row. Firing them up the leagues. They gained a few players from other clubs over those years and set up youth teams etc etc.


Then they had Leon Le Reux for a season who was 75-80mph but wasn't that good a bowler BUT my god was he good with bat. Not sure on his figures but he was far far too good for Div 1. They didn't win promotion that year as they couldn't bowl teams out so were only drawing. 2012/13 they have petrus jefta , who is a FAST bowler.. Very fast and he took 50+ sat league wickets in 2012 alone.

So IF used right then they enable a club to grow faster than they would normally but they can also raise a club above where they actually should be as well. Of course the locals will say not and claim it's them too but there are a lot of teams who if you removed their overseas would lack confidence, oppos would gain confidence and so would lose more.

Long term and good player coach would be best but winning and level is what most people care about.

They had Petrus til he decided run through the crease and bowl a deliberate Beamer from 20 yards at someone he didn't like and got a massive ban, 15 games I think.

[TangoWhiskey]

They had Petrus til he decided run through the crease and bowl a deliberate Beamer from 20 yards at someone he didn't like and got a massive ban, 15 games I think.

Sounds like a nice chap. Did he hit him?