Overseas players

Just to clarify my comment from yesterday, following (and thanks again to) Master Villain's response below.

The regulations now will prevent all but the handful of players with requisite international experience from coming here, even as Kolpaks or overseas players.


In days of yore, counties may have taken a chance on a young player and there are plenty of examples out there. They can't now though. Chris Wilkins was regarded by South African judges as being nearly as good as Barry Richards when we signed him (he wasn't, but was some player.) Greg Chappell was unknown at Somerset, Majid Khan at Glamorgan and so on.

As I see it, the only Saffers who will potentially be Kolpaks next year are likely to be Ntini, Petersen and van der Merwe, guys without central contracts but have played internationally fairly recently. If a few others get more games this winter it would open it up, but there's not many options.
 
Given the congested international calendar though, I'd prefer to see a young tyro from elsewhere as overseas professional than have four guys flying in and out for six weeks each, with little opportunity to integrate into the team. I accept this gives them experience on our tracks, as it always did, but would add considerably to the appeal of the domestic game for fans to see players on the cusp of greatness.
 
Of course, it would need a change in the regulations, but would certainly make the jobs of cricket supremos much easier. We may never see exciting players like Rossouw, Elgar and Miller in the county game, while a very fine player like Michael Klinger in Australia is another who is victim of a surfeit of fine players over there. He would be a huge asset to the county game, as would Stiaan van Zyl and Andrew Puttick. Their paths to the South African national side are blocked by brilliant players, but with first class averages over 40 would be an exciting asset to our domestic game.
 
I am 100% behind the regulations to ensure that Kolpaks are of top quality, but if we're allowing an overseas player, I just think it should be anyone that counties want to bring in. It might just enhance things and I reckon that a young player with a reputation to build would offer more than the many 'have passport will travel' mercenaries out there. When some of them are onto their fourth or fifth county, I just don't see how they can be genuine team men.
 
Crucially, such players as named above would also be more affordable, so counties would be able to field a player of genuine talent who few fans will have seen and therefore may attract additional crowds.
 
As far as I'm concerned its a winner all the way.