South African influx in English cricket : Finally, an Englishman speaks out

[Ram]

Vaughan frustrated with South African influx Cricinfo staff March 5, 2010 Michael Vaughan, the former England captain, believes South Africa-born players should not be allowed to play for England. Vaughan was critical of the number of players being imported "for many, many years" and said he had "a bit of a problem" with South Africans changing nationalities to further their sporting careers. "It's a very tricky one. Someone like Kevin Pietersen made the decision very early to come over to England and he learnt a lot of his cricket here," said Vaughan at a function in London. "[but] I do have a problem when the likes of Jonathan Trott [play for England], and [Craig] Kieswetter, who's played for the South African Under-19s. I think in Trott's case even played for the South African A team. Now that is where I have a problem, that we have almost got a 'ship-in' system of looking at talent, and a lot of them come over for the money. "It's very, very difficult to stop them. I would like to see, in an ideal world, 11 complete Englishmen in the team but I don't think that's ever going to be the case." Kieswetter's rapid promotion to the England one-day side has again thrown the spotlight on the number of South Africans in the set-up and, despite suggestions from national selector Geoff Miller that it is an issue they are watching, he is unlikely to be the last. In his autobiography, Time to Declare, Vaughan had accused the Cape Town-born Trott of celebrating with South Africa's players after England lost at Edgbaston in 2008. Ian Botham, however, said he was fine with the number of imports. "These guys have made their home here to play for England and I don't have a problem with that. The biggest problem for me in England is Kolpak, and that's down to European law. What the Europeans have got to do with it, I don't know. They don't like cricket."

http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/450840.html Its actually quite surprising that it took this long for this sort of reaction.

[Guest DeveGowda]

The guys who selected are performed better than the Local players..so got their chance. You cant give chance to local players just because they are local.. i think Vaughn watched SS,MNS etc...:giggle: The BIG issue is as mentioned by Botham - Kolpak Rule..which ECB cant do anyhting as it applies to all sports...

[achilles]

Michael Vaughan is a LEGEND :hatsoff:. He's turning into a potential Sunny Gavaskar of England, with respect to, their honesty in seeing and speaking things as they see it :hatsoff:.

[99.94]

Anyone remember Jacques Rudolph? He's playing county cricket in England is hoping to get English citizenship so he can play for England. Looks like another Saffer will be poached.

[Riley's Girl]

What I don't get is how nonchalant CSA is about all the good players leaving the country to play in other countries. There is no attempt at keeping young talent interested enough in South A not to leave. Most of the players do have good, valid reasons for leaving & personally I don't have a problem with them plying their trade elsewhere. There are, after all, only so many spots in the national side and these guys have to make a living. Who can blame them for looking at the money? That said, this is not the real issue here. It is unfathomable that England seem almost eager to play 'overseas' players instead of local ones. Yes, these guys do have the talent, but shouldn't there be a need/ desire to field a side consisting mainly of English-born professionals? To say the English won this or that series and for it to be true in the basic sense that the whole of the team are born Englishmen? Can English citezens genuinely identify with and be proud of these foreigners, even if they are now citezens? Thinking of myself, when say Kevin Pietersen perform well, there is still a small amount of pride there, a bit of, 'Hey this guy may be playing for another country, but he was born in mine'. On the other hand I don't view Tendai Mtawarira (Springbok front row prop) as a foreigner because he was born in Zimbabwe, so I guess it is possible to adopt players and call them your own. Or are we in the wrong? Instead of questioning the ECB, shouldn't we rather laud their willingness to accept and embrace players, no matter where they come from?

[Riley's Girl]

Anyone remember Jacques Rudolph? He's playing county cricket in England is hoping to get English citizenship so he can play for England. Looks like another Saffer will be poached.

Remember him? My aunt lives next door to his grandfather!

[Ram]

What I don't get is how nonchalant CSA is about all the good players leaving the country to play in other countries. There is no attempt at keeping young talent interested enough in South A not to leave. Most of the players do have good, valid reasons for leaving & personally I don't have a problem with them plying their trade elsewhere. There are, after all, only so many spots in the national side and these guys have to make a living. Who can blame them for looking at the money? That said, this is not the real issue here. It is unfathomable that England seem almost eager to play 'overseas' players instead of local ones. Yes, these guys do have the talent, but shouldn't there be a need/ desire to field a side consisting mainly of English-born professionals? To say the English won this or that series and for it to be true in the basic sense that the whole of the team are born Englishmen? Can English citezens genuinely identify with and be proud of these foreigners, even if they are now citezens? Thinking of myself, when say Kevin Pietersen perform well, there is still a small amount of pride there, a bit of, 'Hey this guy may be playing for another country, but he was born in mine'. On the other hand I don't view Tendai Mtawarira (Springbok front row prop) as a foreigner because he was born in Zimbabwe, so I guess it is possible to adopt players and call them your own. Or are we in the wrong? Instead of questioning the ECB, shouldn't we rather laud their willingness to accept and embrace players, no matter where they come from?

Excellent post!

[Riley's Girl]

Excellent post!

:bow: Thanx for the inspiration.

[Rajma Chawal]

Kevin Pietersen came to England when he was 20, and learnt most of his cricket in SA. He's no different to Kieswetter. Of course, Vaughan won't criticise him seeing as they're mates and were allies in the dressing room.

[flamy]

What about Eoin Morgan?

[Riley's Girl]

What about Eoin Morgan?

The Irish are closer to home? :dontknow:

[flamy]

The Irish are closer to home? :dontknow:

The Irish-English relationship is much more than sibling rivalry.

[Sachinism]

What I don't get is how nonchalant CSA is about all the good players leaving the country to play in other countries. There is no attempt at keeping young talent interested enough in South A not to leave. Most of the players do have good, valid reasons for leaving & personally I don't have a problem with them plying their trade elsewhere. There are, after all, only so many spots in the national side and these guys have to make a living. Who can blame them for looking at the money? That said, this is not the real issue here. It is unfathomable that England seem almost eager to play 'overseas' players instead of local ones. Yes, these guys do have the talent, but shouldn't there be a need/ desire to field a side consisting mainly of English-born professionals? To say the English won this or that series and for it to be true in the basic sense that the whole of the team are born Englishmen? Can English citezens genuinely identify with and be proud of these foreigners, even if they are now citezens? Thinking of myself, when say Kevin Pietersen perform well, there is still a small amount of pride there, a bit of, 'Hey this guy may be playing for another country, but he was born in mine'. On the other hand I don't view Tendai Mtawarira (Springbok front row prop) as a foreigner because he was born in Zimbabwe, so I guess it is possible to adopt players and call them your own. Or are we in the wrong? Instead of questioning the ECB, shouldn't we rather laud their willingness to accept and embrace players, no matter where they come from?

There is limited talent coming out of this country. There seems to be a top class system in place but its not producing anything. It would be a massive embarrassment to England if they creators of the game were brought down to the level of Bangladesh, so now its 'do whatever it takes'

[Guest DeveGowda]

There is limited talent coming out of this country. There seems to be a top class system in place but its not producing anything. It would be a massive embarrassment to England if they creators of the game were brought down to the level of Bangladesh' date=' so now its 'do whatever it takes'[/quote'] those guys have to fight with other sports also...its better England have a good team whoevr plays...Already cricket is suffering from Week teams except for 4/5 remaining are NOT good in All formats... i read some where in BBC..Only 10% of public schools in England play cricket...:omg:

[Riley's Girl]

The Irish-English relationship is much more than sibling rivalry.

I meant geographically :winky: It's the most logical thing to aim directly at the South Africans as there are so many of them, not only playing for Engalnd, but also filling spots in county cricket thanks to Kolpak contracts. That means there are less opportunities for the local lads to play on county level as well. Eoin, on the other hand, is the only Irishman in the side. Also, his countrymen do not pose such a big threat to the local players' chances of being selected.

[Riley's Girl]

There is limited talent coming out of this country. There seems to be a top class system in place but its not producing anything. It would be a massive embarrassment to England if they creators of the game were brought down to the level of Bangladesh' date=' so now its 'do whatever it takes'[/quote'] True.

[Sachinism]

those guys have to fight with other sports also...its better England have a good team whoevr plays...Already cricket is suffering from Week teams except for 4/5 remaining are NOT good in All formats... i read some where in BBC..Only 10% of public schools in England play cricket...:omg:

I doubt thats true. Most schools I know play cricket, but then again how many schools do I know

[pappu_kanghi]

Oh this is already posted. Blame it on the marirs's thread title. :mad:

[cowboysfan]

i have no problem with what england are doing,a bad english side is not good for international cricket.

[Fontaine]

While I'm all for player's rights and the ability to choose where they play, I do think England have an extremely lenient policy for non English players to join in the team and it's not because their board likes it that way. It's because the ECB know that if they didn't allow non English players to play then their side would be reduced to minnow status in all formats of the game.