Abu Dhabi: Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, regarded as one of the greatest players of the game feels that, very little can be done if a player decides to move to fresher pastures taking advantage of the Kolpak deal.

English county club Lancashire, with the signing of South Africa wicketkeeper Dane Vilas and former West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, both as non-overseas players has triggered fresh debate on the use of Kolpak.

“The guys are going to make their own decisions as players. If the guys feel they are better suited to play overseas then it is the choice that they make,” said Kallis, who was present at the capital’s Shaikh Zayed Cricket Stadium for a clinic with the Zayed Cricket Academy players.

The 31-year-old wicket-keeper batsman Vilas joined the growing list of players to make the move from South Africa by signing a two-year deal. The development had a lot to do with the way Quinton de Kock has cemented his place in the South African setup as the first-choice wicketkeeper.

Vilas, who averages almost 40 in first-class cricket, played his last six Test against England in 2016 without making a significant impact but is a decent bat in ODIs.

He is now the seventh player who has decided to move to an English county.

Earlier, pace bowler Kyle Abbott and batsman Rilee Roussouw signed for Hampshire for the 2017 season, while Sussex got hold of all-rounders David Wiese and Stiaan van Zyl. All-rounder Simon Harmer also has agreed to a contract with Essex, while fast bowler Hardus Viljoen has made his switch to Derbyshire.

While the South African Cricket Board and coach Russell Domingo are furious and have blasted the players following these developments, Kallis chose to play neutral.

“It is difficult to stop this trend because guys want to make a living,” said Kallis adding that, one needs to understand from both point of view — boys and South African cricket board.

“Dane’s absence is going to be a bit of blow. He was in the mix you see but he has made his choice. Anytime any of our cricketers leave, it is a blow but we can’t blame them. It is just that they have made their choice,” felt Kallis adding that, it will be nice to see players and the board, find a way to make sure they try and stay in South Africa.

The 41-year-old, however, didn’t have any clear cut solution off hand for either of them.

“It will be a difficult for me to give any suggestions as I don’t know the ins and outs of it. We have to somehow make sure we look after our players,” asserted Kallis, who figured in 166 Test scoring 13289 runs at an average of 55.37.

“All I can say is a combination of things has to be considered. The player has to make the best decision for his future but the board has to look at future of South African cricket and act.”

The latest developments have also not gone well with cricket enthusiasts in England as well. Many feel a rise in such cricketers will impact the opportunities of local English players. It will be interesting to see how things develop in the coming days as the debate doesn’t look like stopping anytime soon.

 

In Box

What is a Kolpak contract?

Kolpak contract is named after Slovak handball player Marius Kolpak, who won the landmark case at the European Court of Justice in 2003.

As per the verdict, sportsmen from countries that have associate trade agreements with the European Union, including South Africa and some Caribbean nations, have the same right to free movement as European Union citizens without being classified as foreigners.

However, in cricket, players availing such contract cannot represent their country at international level again.