Faf du Plessis: Kolpak system hurting South African cricket

Any changes to immigration laws after Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union are likely to impact the eligibility of Kolpak players going forward

Faf du Plessis bemoaned the impact of the Kolpak system on South African cricket after he saw his side slump to a one-sided defeat against India in the third Test of the series.

The tourists fielded an inexperienced team in the final Test, with Zubayr Hamza making his second appearance in the format, while George Linde and Heinrich Klaasen made their Test debuts.

Any changes to immigration laws after Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union are likely to impact the eligibility of Kolpak players going forward.

An email circulated by the ECB earlier this year to counties revealed that in the event of the United Kingdom leaving the EU without a deal, Kolpak players would only remain eligible to play in county cricket under the Kolpak banner until the end of the 2020 season.

“It's sad for South African cricket not to have the option of their best players,” the 35-year-old captain said after the innings defeat in Ranchi.

“Simon Harmer has had an unbelievable season,” he added, referring to the Essex spinner, who took 83 wickets in the County Championship and led his county to T20 Blast glory.

“And it would be great for South Africa to be in a position where they could go, 'He's done well overseas. Let's bring him on tour with us'.

“You are missing out on all your best players and your talent pool is all of a sudden a lot smaller. So that's something that we've tried to identify to stop. But it's been very difficult to stop.”

^{South Africa were soundly beaten in all three games by India}

Dozens of players have utilised the system since Slovakian handball player Maros Kolpak won a landmark court case in 2003. The British Home Office ruled in 2009 that a Kolpak player must either have a valid work permit for four years in the UK or have earned a specified number of caps in international cricket.

However, players must give up their right to play for their country during the length of any deal with a county.

As well as Harmer, that currently prevents Duanne Olivier and Kyle Abbott from playing for South Africa, while Hashim Amla, who recently retired from the international arena, is reportedly set to join Surrey.

“Even the guys going there post international cricket, like Hashim Amla, those guys, they won't be playing domestic cricket back home,” du Plessis said. “So, you lose all of that experience, which would have helped the young guys so much.

“Playing with Hashim Amla is the greatest learning curve that you can get. Playing with Dale Steyn, playing with AB de Villiers, all those guys, so it's about making sure that you can bridge that gap and finding ways to do it.

“So that's the situation where we need to get to. Because at the moment we don't get the option of all the best players, you know. So that will always be a concern for us.”