Paperwork delay rules Graeme van Buuren out of Gloucestershire trip to Hampshire

Previously, van Buuren, who was born in South Africa but has been a Bristol resident for the last five years, had been able to feature for Gloucestershire as a non-overseas player

Graeme van Buuren was ruled out of Gloucestershire’s game against Hampshire due to delays in his paperwork after the complications around Brexit changed his eligibility status.

Previously, van Buuren, who was born in South Africa but has been a Bristol resident for the last five years, had been able to feature for Gloucestershire as a non-overseas player.

Indeed, only two weeks ago, he struck a match-winning century against Surrey in a successful fourth innings chase, while he has also been picked regularly for his left-arm spin.

The ECB’s registration regulations changed, however, following the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union at the end of 2020, bringing an end to the Kolpak loophole and the chance for players to qualify through EU passports or ancestral visas in cases where they did not have proof of settled – or pre-settled – status under the government’s new settlement scheme.

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To combat those issues, van Buuren applied for indefinite leave to remain in the UK which, once ratified, would allow him to play as an England-qualified player. Yet, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, that process has experienced delays.

Therefore, he has been registered for the moment as one of three overseas players, along with Australian seamer Dan Worrall and West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite, while the obstacles have been resolved. Worrall has been in quarantine until now, so van Buuren was able to take his place in the opening games of the season, both of which were won by Gloucestershire.

However, with Brathwaite and Worrall favoured, he is missing out at the Ageas Bowl, where Chris Dent’s side are facing the only other county with a perfect record from their first two matches. Clubs are permitted to register three overseas players at any one time, but only two can play in a single fixture.

A Gloucestershire statement explained: “Graeme van Buuren, having been a Gloucestershire player and Bristol resident for the last five years, has to date been playing cricket in the UK as a non-overseas player. He has built a life in the UK, is married to a British citizen, and is settled in Bristol with two young children born in the city during his time at the club.

“Graeme has played a huge part in the two victories of the 2021 season so far and is an integral member of the Gloucestershire cricket family. The club, along with the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), continue to support his application and the speedy resolution of what is a very difficult period for Graeme and his family.”

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