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[smilley792]

And if I remember correctly there was talk of Warne becoming a Kolpak player (before he (No Swearing Please) off to play poker) and he had 700 test wickets for Australia, how does that work??

Am pretty sure warne qualified as english(non overseas player) when at Hampshire due to his grandma being German. Don't think it was a kolpak thing.

[Johnny]

Kolpak is an EU thing, hence you don't get Kolpak players in Australia, as the ruling doesn't affect them

[Manormanic]

Marius Kolpak was a SLovak handball player who sued in the European courts for the right to play as a domestic registered player in the German league on the basis of a trade agreement between the Slovak and EU governments.

As South Africa and Australia have outstanding agreements of this type, the implication is that a player of either nationality seeking to establish himself lawfully in Britain has to be allowed to play as a domestic player.  This applied to people who qualify for residence on ancestral grounds or through work permit - the work permit loophole has since been closed by stiffening the criteria so that a work permit will only be granted where the player has played International cricket in the preceding period (or where high level coaching qualifications have been obtained), which has reduced the numbers dramatically.

Players who have EEA passports is a seperate thing - there is now almost no regulation of their playing; since Australia and New Zealand have relaxed their rules on players playing as domestic players in two countries, it is pretty much a free market.

[Manormanic]

Was a serious question as McKenzie was a kolpak player & he'd played tests for SA.
I'll be honest, I don't have a clue how the system works... 

He just had to say "I have retired from international cricket".  A la Jacques Rudolph, he didn;t even have to really mean it!

[ProCricketer1982]

Counties should be financially viable, if they aren't then stop paying players as much! Stop paying coaches, manager and all the hangers on as much! Pretty sure I saw some fancy cars at the Worcester ground for instance driven by players so they are earning a pretty penny. ECB should not fund these clubs, if you don't have the support or sponsorship then shrink. Money should be spent getting more people involved in the sport and raising the standards for mere mortals

[Manormanic]

more than that there should be some consideration of whether they are producing players for England - some counties just don't.

[Alvaro]

Some counties are producing players for Notts, Warks, Lancs and Slurry...

[Manormanic]

that's certainly true of Leicestershire, who seem to be more or less Nottinghamshire 2s (Broad, Taylor, Gurney) but how do you justify, say, Gloucestershire...

[Alvaro]

that's certainly true of Leicestershire, who seem to be more or less Nottinghamshire 2s (Broad, Taylor, Gurney) but how do you justify, say, Gloucestershire...

You can't. And that really pains me to say it.

[ProCricketer1982]

You can't. And that really pains me to say it.

Lol


You could put Sommerset, glos and worcs together and for a 'South-West' county side.

[Alvaro]

Lol


You could put Sommerset, glos and worcs together and for a 'South-West' county side.

The committees would never allow it to happen.
Somerset are more likely merge withMillfield.

[ProCricketer1982]

The committees would never allow it to happen.
Somerset are more likely merge withMillfield.

Millfield is their seconds isn't it??

I know it would never happen but it makes sense! Bigger talent pool to pick from, higher fan base (once the crabby die hards die out) and they could have a test level venue and attract tests/ODI's or slap and tickles

[Alvaro]

Millfield is their seconds isn't it??

I know it would never happen but it makes sense! Bigger talent pool to pick from, higher fan base (once the crabby die hards die out) and they could have a test level venue and attract tests/ODI's or slap and tickles

Apply that to the whole country. Regional franchises life the Saffers.

[ProCricketer1982]

Lancs and yorks together too no more of this roses crap

So we'd have...

'South-west'
Birmingham
London
Home Counties
Roses (lanc + yorks)
Wales
North of England
South of England


Who else?

[Alvaro]

Keep it to six
North East
North west
East Midlands
West Midlands
South west
South East