Kolpak!

[marc71178]

I don't see how increasing the standard of the only preparation English players have for International Cricket is wrong?

I mean the Aussie domestic game is renouned as being very strong, and remind me how good are Australia?

 

[superkingdave]

Qual period is 5 years.

Im also sure i heard something about Kolpac players can never play for their home country again

 

[Langeveldt]

Sure, you can have great quality, and only 20% of the players actually eligible to play for England..

Had the Kolpak fiasco climaxed five years ago, you may never have seen once jobbing pros like Trescothick and Vaughan get the chance to play for England.. Thats a succesful England captain and a test class opening batsman replaced by a couple of handy Zimbabweans.. Is that what you want?

 

[Richard]

So ignore the improving in standards then?

A no-more-than-slight improvement in standards is not worth the cheques that have to be written to attain it.

 

[marc71178]

If that were really so, then the Counties wouldn't sign the players in the first place.

 

[Richard]

Wouldn't they?
Despite plenty of other signs that many counties are more concerned with short-term success than their own and their rivals' long-term financial security?

 

[wpdavid]

I don't see how increasing the standard of the only preparation English players have for International Cricket is wrong?

I mean the Aussie domestic game is renouned as being very strong, and remind me how good are Australia?

By the same token, remind me how many non-Austalians are playing in the State teams? By investing in ready-made products rather than some serious training and development in youngsters, the danger is that the standard of English players will actually fall. I'm not arguing for a complete ban on overseas pros, but the one-per-team rule seemed about right to me. Looking at the CC last season, do you really think the counties generally got value for money from the vast number of overseas guys that came and went? Beyond that, langeveldt's point was dead right, IMHO.

 

[BoyBrumby]

By the same token, remind me how many non-Austalians are playing in the State teams? By investing in ready-made products rather than some serious training and development in youngsters, the danger is that the standard of English players will actually fall. I'm not arguing for a complete ban on overseas pros, but the one-per-team rule seemed about right to me. Looking at the CC last season, do you really think the counties generally got value for money from the vast number of overseas guys that came and went? Beyond that, langeveldt's point was dead right, IMHO.

I guess the moral view of wanting to see counties produce quality young English players is unfortunately overshadowed by the simple legal fact that Kolpaks have the right to earn a crust here.

I agree that it has got out of hand tho. I reckon for long periods of last summer there was hardly an English accent in the Hampshire dressing room!

Maybe 3 up, 3 down encourages short-termism? Always thought relegating one-third of the league was a bit of a farce.

 

[Richard]

Yet everyone should know that it doesn't matter whether they're in the First or Second Division, they're still equally responsible for the future of English cricket - and equally it cuts the other way.
They don't produce the players, they're the ones that go to the wall.