Graeme van Buuren free to play as local player after citizenship belatedly comes through

The allrounder was restricted to just 18 appearances for Gloucestershire in all competitions in 2021 after paperwork delays in relation to his registration status meant that he could only feature as an overseas player

Gloucestershire allrounder Graeme van Buuren has become a British citizen, making him eligible to turn out in county cricket as a local player once again after his summer was truncated by never-ending bureaucracy.

The 31-year-old was restricted to just 18 appearances in all competitions in 2021 after paperwork delays in relation to his registration status meant that he could only feature as an overseas player. His citizenship has now come through, ending a difficult period.

"It's been challenging on and off the field but there's always a light at the end of the tunnel," he told Gloucestershire's official website, "and I'm just fortunate still to be with the club and be where I am.

"From November 26, 2021, I'm a local, a British citizen now. That means I'll be able to play for Gloucestershire as a local player going forwards, so no more heartache and pain. It's a massive weight off the shoulders, not just for me but for my family. I can't wait for the new season to come and to contribute towards the team."

Gloucestershire's new head coach, Dale Benkenstein, confirmed van Buuren's change in status when he spoke to journalists last week for the first time since his appointment.

Van Buuren was born in South Africa and joined Gloucestershire in 2016, benefiting from his wife's British passport, which allowed him to play as a local player up until the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union, which led to a change in the ECB’s eligibility and registration regulations, forcing him to apply for indefinite leave to remain.

^{Graeme van Buuren began the 2021 season in prime form (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)}

The situation left van Buuren in limbo: players in his position had to provide proof of settled or pre-settled status under the scheme put in place by the government. Ordinarily, this would have been processed in good time through a fast-track priority service, which was temporarily closed as a result of the pandemic.

Had the timeframe worked as initially anticipated, he would have been in the clear for the start of the season. As it was, though, at different times he was left to compete for overseas berths alongside Glenn Phillips, Dan Worrall and Kraigg Brathwaite, even after beginning the season in prime form, hitting an unbeaten century against Surrey to lead Gloucestershire to victory in a fine run-chase.

"It is pretty gutting," he told The Cricketer last June, in the midst of his purgatory. "It's actually mind-blowing. In some terms, I feel pretty lost mentally. I feel lost and hopeless, but I'm trying to keep the positive vibes going.

"Both my kids are English; my wife, Hannah, is English-Irish – I have nothing to do with South Africa. It's not like I can just hop back on a plane and go to play there again; I've built my life here now and I'm really enjoying it in Bristol."