Are Kolpak players hurting English cricket?

[zaremba]

The answer to the question posed in this thread, in my view, is that it depends on the Kolpak.

Pik van der Kolpak, Nothamptonleicestershire's 34-year-old medium fast seamer and lower/middle order batsman brings little to county cricket.

By contrast Stuart Law and Murray Goodwin have improved county cricket a great deal.

 

[four_or_six]

I'm not worried at all about Zimbabwean players, there's relatively few and there's more than good reason why they're playing county cricket. I'd be totally happy to see them taken out of the equation.

It's the influx of age 30+ South Africans that's annoying. I reckon they should just disband Northants now.

 

[Richard]

Or perhaps just do something to make them concentrate a bit more on developing local talent rather than looking for the short-term fix.

I know Northants-born cricketers aren't exactly two-a-penny and never have been, but surely there must be a few more than generally tend to play for the county?

 

[four_or_six]

Or perhaps just do something to make them concentrate a bit more on developing local talent rather than looking for the short-term fix.

I know Northants-born cricketers aren't exactly two-a-penny and never have been, but surely there must be a few more than generally tend to play for the county?

Well it's actually a fairly large area when you take into account that you've got Cambridgeshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire bordering it who don't have a first class team, plus Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk that are potentially close enough too.

 

[Richard]

I'd be very interested to see a breakdown of the number of long-term (say, 2 full seasons or more) Northants players born in those 5 counties. I'd still reckon the number would be small compared to other counties.

Whether anyone'd be interested enough to conduct it would be a different matter, naturally.

 

[Langeveldt]

More needs to be done from the South African side.. I'm fed up of seeing our talent flowing to Northants.. If we can invest billions of rands in Football and Cricket World cups, then why can't we give people like Ryan McLaren a blank paycheck?

 

[zaremba]

I'd be very interested to see a breakdown of the number of long-term (say, 2 full seasons or more) Northants players born in those 5 counties. I'd still reckon the number would be small compared to other counties.

Whether anyone'd be interested enough to conduct it would be a different matter, naturally.

I must admit I have a bit of a soft spot for Northants because I vaguely know one of their current players. However their selection policy is absolutely mystifying.

 

[four_or_six]

I'd be very interested to see a breakdown of the number of long-term (say, 2 full seasons or more) Northants players born in those 5 counties. I'd still reckon the number would be small compared to other counties.

Whether anyone'd be interested enough to conduct it would be a different matter, naturally.

I can only be bothered to do this season's squad off cricinfo, but here goes:

21 players, 13 of whom are born in England.

Northants - 0

Bordering counties:
Beds - Monty Panesar
Bucks - Graeme White, Mark Nelson

Other non-FC counties:
Staffs - Jason Brown, Richard Logan
Norfolk - Ben Howgego

FC counties:
Notts - David Lucas
Essex - Stephen Peters, Rob White
Surrey - David Sales
London - Alex Wakely
Yorks - David Wigley
Wolverhampton - Richard Browning

 

[Langeveldt]

I must admit I have a bit of a soft spot for Northants because I vaguely know one of their current players. However their selection policy is absolutely mystifying.

Not really.. I can fully see why English counties go down the Kolpak route, even to the extent that Northants do.. Not that it is any good for the game though.

 

[Richard]

The reason English counties go down the Kolpak route is because of preference for the short-term over the long-term. Which is usually dangerous. Hopefully soon the option will once again no longer be there.

 

[zaremba]

Not really.. I can fully see why English counties go down the Kolpak route, even to the extent that Northants do.. Not that it is any good for the game though.

There's a balance to be struck and I think that, even allowing for their limited resources, N'hants have got it wrong.

There's more than one way to shag a squirrel and I've no objection at all to a County bringing in a handful of overseas players, but the way Northants have done it is pretty far from ideal.

 

[Richard]

More needs to be done from the South African side.. I'm fed up of seeing our talent flowing to Northants.. If we can invest billions of rands in Football and Cricket World cups, then why can't we give people like Ryan McLaren a blank paycheck?

Not to mention the Kieswetters, Malans and even younger types.

 

[Woodster]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned earlier in the thread, but the ECB do appear to be planning a system where financial penalties are incurred should the counties fail to meet the necessary criteria, which is supposedly 8 English qualified players, with one overseas player, that leaves two spaces for possible Kolpaks in the team. This should, in theory, cut down the number of South Africans playing cricket in the country.

 

[Langeveldt]

Not to mention the Kieswetters, Malans and even younger types.

Kieswetter went to school in the UK (I've played against him), so he's fairly naturalised, not like they've just pinched him from the SA system.. Malan can stay where he is.. Kemp back would be nice, as well as van Jaarsveld, although he is getting on in years..

 

[morgieb]

The reason English counties go down the Kolpak route is because of preference for the short-term over the long-term. Which is usually dangerous. Hopefully soon the option will once again no longer be there.

Confirmed. Leicestershire brought in millions of Kolpaks to help young english talent. Except now Broad's gone, there's no young english talent.

 

[Goughy]

There's a balance to be struck and I think that, even allowing for their limited resources, N'hants have got it wrong.

There's more than one way to shag a squirrel and I've no objection at all to a County bringing in a handful of overseas players, but the way Northants have done it is pretty far from ideal.

There can be no argument with that.

Northants got it wrong. They freely admitted their Kolpaks have cost them their proposed outdoor practice area and study centre for up and coming players and current pros.

"Because of the situation with Hall, Van der Wath and Louw...we have put those plans on hold for cash flow reasons" Mark Tagg Chief Exec

Thats pretty messy.

 

[Richard]

It's exactly the worst-case scenario I've imagined ever since the Kolpak expedition became obvious.

 

[zaremba]

It's exactly the worst-case scenario I've imagined ever since the Kolpak expedition became obvious.

If only they'd listened to you

 

[BoyBrumby]

I'm not sure if it's been mentioned earlier in the thread, but the ECB do appear to be planning a system where financial penalties are incurred should the counties fail to meet the necessary criteria, which is supposedly 8 English qualified players, with one overseas player, that leaves two spaces for possible Kolpaks in the team. This should, in theory, cut down the number of South Africans playing cricket in the country.

They already have one in place tbf. Everytime a county doesn't play 9 English-qualified players it costs them £1100 per Kolpak per county game & £275 per List A. Link to BBC.

 

[Langeveldt]

They already have one in place tbf. Everytime a county doesn't play 9 English-qualified players it costs them £1100 per Kolpak per county game & £275 per List A. Link to BBC.

But they are saving far more by having these Kolpak players about in the first place.. The only way you will change anything is with some massive fines..