I'm surprised that there is so little concern on the WRF about this issue. My contacts indicate that there is considerable concern among several committee members that he will not be returning to the team. Yorkshire now face the possibility of losing their leading wicket-taker and leading run-maker in the same season.
If Rudolph goes we can kiss the first division goodbye. It will also effect ticket sales and membership renewals.
Well, I think the reason a lot of people are not concerned is that Rudolph played his last test in 2006, so he would appear to qualify under the new rules. However, maybe this is a misinterpretation of the rules (including by me). I have read the article cited above, and think that the BBC journalist responsible should be taken out and flogged by representatives of the Plain English Society. Could somebody please tell us all what the exact wording of the new regulations is.
I think it's been said time and time again that Rudolph will be available for 2010. If for some reason he were not then I'm certain our cricket loving executives would have signed up Ricky Ponting as a Kolpak for the forthcoming season.
Please see the new criteria for overseas players / Kolpaks in 2010:
Player-only Governing Body Endorsements (formerly work permits) will be required for individuals seeking employment at the 18 First-Class Counties in order to register and participate in any of the First Class County 1st or 2nd Xl competitions. Those individuals must meet one of the following criteria:
a. The cricketer must have played a minimum of one Test Match during the 24 months immediately prior to the date of the Governing Body Endorsement application or 5 Test Matches during the 60 months immediately prior to the date of the Governing Body Endorsement application for his country who must be a Full Member Country of the ICC (Full Members are Australia, Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe as well as the ECB) which were approved and recorded by the ICC as authorised Test Matches (consisting of five days); or
b. During the 24 months immediately prior to the date of the Governing Body Endorsement application the cricketer must have played in at least fifteen One Day Internationals and/or International Twenty20 matches for his country (who must be a Full Member Country of the ICC) which were approved and recorded as authorised matches by the ICC ;or
c. Be currently centrally contracted to the Cricket Board of the cricketers home country and in the current or most recent Test Match or One Day International team squad where the home country is a Full Member Country of the ICC); or
d. Was granted a work permit as a player-only in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and the new Tier 2 Player Only Governing Body Endorsement in 2009
Effectively Jacques Rudolph is covered for this coming season, 2010, by nature of clause a) i.e. 5 Test Matches in the last 60 months as he played Test Cricket for SA in 2006. However, it means that post-2010 he will be accepted only if the ECB roll forward the content of clause d (i.e. it becomes 2007, 2008 and Endorsements in 2009 and 2010). This has been flagged by Yorkshire CCC to the Governing Body and a formal response is awaited. The informal feedback has been encouraging.
So that would appear to clear that up.
As long - presumably - as Jacques is happy to return there is nothing to stop him from doing so.
That's very good news indeed.
Always good to get information from the horse's mouth.
(Not that i'm suggesting Mr Regan is a horse....)
Apparently in the article on the BBC website about this, it mentions Sussex have had to let go Dwayne Smith unless they sign him as a second overseas player specifically for T20 next season.
Is this so he can play in the T20 instead of their other overseas player (Arafat?) or as well as Arafat as you can now play 2 overseas players in T20?
If so who are we going to line up for our second overseas slot?
Stewart, may I suggest you take a look at one of the excellent Trinidad & Tobago team. Keiron Pollard could hit the ball over the rugby ground and is a very decent T20 bowler too.