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[Kulli]

What is the idea of a KOLPAK player? apart from sides wangling an extra overseas?

That's exactly it.

[joeljonno]

What is the idea of a KOLPAK player? apart from sides wangling an extra overseas?

It EU agreement that South Africans can pork in Europe. Something to do with Dutch settlements there a long time ago.

Kolpak players have to (or used to ) relinquish their right to play for their country. Which could quickly be overturned when they wanted to play again.

[Kulli]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolpak_ruling

For those hard of googling!

[RSpall]

It's another spot wasted within a team that could be filled by some young local talent trying to make a career for himself? One overseas should be ok but not so sure this is helping the development of cricket in this country.

But then again this is probably why half of our England team or players that have played in the last few years originate from SA!

[Alvaro]

Ashwell Prince is a credit to the County Championship and wholly committed to Lancashire. Young English players will learn more playing with and against him than each other....

Trumped up charge though. Larry Booth has it right.

[Sam]

If you actually look through a lot of kolpak players are very committed to teams and stay there for quite a while, not normally as mercenary as it suggests.

[RSpall]

Ashwell and Thomas would be good exceptions but I do think it can hinder the development of others.

It's like club cricket. What's the point of having an overseas, a local pro and overseas UK citizen? That's more than a quarter of your side that probably won't be there the next year and would need replacing. It doesn't show the depth of a club if your having to do this. The same could be said with KOLPAK?

[FattusCattus]

It EU agreement that South Africans can pork in Europe.

Hahahah! Just seen this!  The EU can dictate where Saffers can pork!

Priceless.

[Alvaro]

There are teams of young english players in Div 2 that couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag.
Sometimes knowledge and experience count for more than just promise and to justify an academy system.

Here are some other Kolpaks:
Murray Goodwin
Brendan Nash
Andre Adams
Wayne Madsen
Andrew Hall

All have been in County XIs for a good period.

There are very few registered Kolpaks in county cricket at the moment. That's hardly stealing a jolly Englander's chance is it? Plus, Hall and Goodwin are leaving/retiring at the end of the season.

[Sam]

Other examples I know of as a Hants supporter are Sean Ervine and previously Neil McKenzie and Nic Pothas.

[Alvaro]

Yep Sam, all three of those hardly give/gave anything back right?

Pothas was English qualified near the end of his career too.

[pie-man]

There are teams of young english players in Div 2 that couldn't fight their way out of a wet paper bag.
Sometimes knowledge and experience count for more than just promise and to justify an academy system.

Here are some other Kolpaks:
Murray Goodwin
Brendan Nash
Andre Adams
Wayne Madsen
Andrew Hall

All have been in County XIs for a good period.

There are very few registered Kolpaks in county cricket at the moment. That's hardly stealing a jolly Englander's chance is it? Plus, Hall and Goodwin are leaving/retiring at the end of the season.

Adams based on his West Indian parents - anyone know how many of the 10 are not saffers?

[Alvaro]

Nash is Jamaica born I think
Goodwin & Anthoony Ireland are Zim

[Alvaro]

Ashwell Prince has said that Andrew Gale's tirade in which he called him a f******* Kolpak did not cross his mind during the heat of the argument as a racial slur.

"I took offence at the way he spoke to me. To be quite honest, I didn't stand there and think that might be a racial slur," he said. "The guy walked towards me and had a go and I defended myself. The ECB feel it has racial connotations and it's up to them to do whatever they want to do."

[RSpall]

Are you happy to say then that if some of young lads could fight themselves out of a paper bag that English cricket is poor?  The ECB really need to have a good hard look at the development systems if we have to fill sides with foreigners!