Nobody could have imagined the impact made on cricket when Slovakian handball player Maros Kolpak won a decision in the European Courts of Justice back in May 2003. After being released from his German club, due to their quota on non-European Union players, Kolpak made a legal challenge to oppose the law and duly succeeded.
For those unaware of what effect this has on cricket, in England especially, it enables cricketers from countries that have an Association Agreement with the European Union (EU) to play domestic cricket in England without being classified as an overseas player. Therefore, players from South Africa, Zimbabwe and certain islands in the West Indies are free to travel to England to ply their trade, but are not eligible to represent England unless they wish to do so via the residential period route.
Each Kolpak case is dealt with individually by the England and Wales Cricket Board. Despite regulations stating that the player must not have played first class cricket or higher in the 12 months prior to the season and that he must give up playing as a domestic player in his home country, both of these can be overlooked. When Jacques Rudolph signed on for Yorkshire early in 2007 as a Kolpak, he had played for South Africa in August 2006, however, the ECB were powerless to enforce rules.
In every case, a player is asked to sign a Statutory Declaration, which details his commitment to playing only in the UK as a domestic cricketer. Players that return home to feature in their domestic season must then do so as overseas players.
They are the regulations, so what are the ramifications ? The major gripe against this relatively new legislation is that these Kolpak signings are stifling English talent. They are taking the places of the younger academy players when they could be being given the necessary first class exposure to enhance their game and gain vital experience at a higher level. The argument that negates that comment to a degree, is that many people believe that the cream generally rises to the top and if the youngster in question is good enough, he will make it with or without the presence of the Kolpak players.
The Kolpaks are invariably a cheaper option and are seen as a short term fix when the money could be better used improving the development of the younger players with the long term view in mind, rather than the immediate season. Counties understandably want to remain, or become, competitive and they see the best and cheapest way of doing this is by bringing in Kolpak players with a fair amount of first class, maybe international experience for a reasonable sum of money, rather than relying on youth and funding their development.
It is too much of a generalisation to say none of the Kolpaks signed since 2004 (the first season where the ruling was in place) have improved the quality on the first-class circuit. For example, there must be young batsmen at Sussex queuing up to hear any snippets of advice from a talent such as Murray Goodwin. Not only listening to him but watching how he goes about his cricket will surely aid young Englishmen no end, similarly at Yorkshire with Jacques Rudolph. Charl Willoughby has shown that bowlers can succeed on the batters paradise at Taunton, and if anyone there wants to learn the art of swing, he will be amongst the first they call on.
Has the Kolpak ruling strengthened English county cricket ? Of the 24 Kolpaks that have arrived and played first class cricket since 2004, around 50% have proved over their careers that they will benefit most leagues they join. I make this observation based on their overall first class records. Statistics can admittedly be misleading, however, only four of the 24 players average in excess of 40 with the bat, while seven have a bowling average under 30, with South African Lance Klusener fitting into both categories (for players that have played over 15 first-class games).
The stats suggest that the competition is not particularly stronger as a result of Kolpak signings, sure players like Goodwin, Rudolph, Klusener, van Jaarsveld etc, help raise the standard, but for every one of those there is a player that would probably struggle to make his own provincial side back home.
Naturally, the ECB cannot regulate the quality of player to come in, we can only rely on counties to do their utmost in signing players to strengthen English cricket as a whole, without flooding the market. One thing that is in their powers is to penalise each county to the sum of ?1,100 each time they field a Kolpak in the Championship, this fee comes out of their annual central handout.
With the ECB providing the major source of income for counties, they have an obligation to respect the amount of non-qualified English players within the make up of their squads. Of course those that are largely made up of English qualified players receive more income from the ECB.
Needless to say that there are more Kolpaks to come. In 2008 counties are restricted to only one official overseas player per side and may look to some big name Kolpaks to help improve gate receipts. Big hitter Justin Kemp is on his way to Kent having shelved his international ambitions for now, while Northants have opted to sign four South Africans with international experience in Nicky Boje, Lance Klusener, Johan van der Wath and Andrew Hall (with no official overseas player). Very few West Indians have come over on the ruling, but in 2008, Wavell Hinds and Pedro Collins will be bucking that particular trend.
So surely the change to only one overseas player is a little counter productive when counties then go out and bring in a number of Kolpaks (or entice players to obtain an EU passport) who are ineligible anyway for England selection. The quality of the official overseas player has been of the highest standard for a number of years, consequently the English players are much more likely to have their development enhanced by a world star, as averse to a South African struggling to get a break in his home country.
The newly formed Indian Premier League (IPL) may prevent numerous world class players from appearing in England in the opening months of the season with them signing up to play in the Twenty20 competition for obscene amounts of money. Will the enthusiasm to then travel to England for more cricket diminish after having earned a fortune for around six weeks work ? One would hope this is not the case.
Of course South Africa are also affected by the Kolpak ruling, with older players relinquishing their international prospects before their time to build a domestic career in England. Younger cricketers are also looking to gain England selection through the four-year residential period after their initial Kolpak contract. So the problem does not affect only England.
It is a situation that needs to be constantly assessed. The important thing for English cricket is that the academy players are given as much assistance to aid their development, whether that is through opportunities in the first team, a secure structure in place, or with coaching and facilities. The vision needs to be long term to enable English cricket to reap the rewards further down the line.
It was Leicestershire who made the first Kolpak signing when they added Claude Henderson to their squad. Their chief executive that oversaw the deal at the time was England's new selector James Whittaker. How ironic ? Let us hope, from an English cricket perspective, that that particular decision to start the Kolpak ball rolling will not reduce the field he has to pick from too dramatically.
What is important, is that English cricket monitors the quantity and quality of the overseas Kolpak player. This can only be done through the integrity of the county officials.
(Cricket Web, 26/02/2008)
http://www.cricketweb.net/blog/features/10.php
Tuesday 4 March 2008
KP to return to dominance in NZ
"My view is that once he goes through his failure period then this will be the making of KP", so wrote Shane Warne in the foreword of Kevin Pietersen's autobiography, Crossing the Boundary.
There will inevitably come a time when Pietersen finds it difficult to replicate his outstanding Test career form to date. His eccentric strokeplay, which involves reverse sweeping for six, arrogantly manipulating the ball from six inches or more outside his off stump through straight mid-wicket and his general contempt for the bowler, will all come under severe scrutiny. In some parts these will be seen as the reasons for a slump, with people quickly forgetting how they cheered such strokes when they were perfectly executed. Only journalists and spectators can have it both ways.
As Warne suggests and history demands, the runs will dry up for a time at some stage. Following his disappointing tour of Sri Lanka, Pietersen will be determined that that time is not now.
He has struggled to recapture his fluency on the low, slow wickets of the sub-continent. It was the first time he went through a Test series without registering a half century and an average of only 25.20 was all he had to show for his efforts.
It is easily forgotten the success that KP enjoyed through 2007, even allowing for his rather fruitless tour of Sri Lanka. He was one of only three Test batsmen to pass 1,000 runs for the year - Jacques Kallis 1,210 runs and Sourav Ganguly 1,106 led the way - at an average of over 50.
Of course his runs will not always be scored in the scintillating fashion that he is so associated with and it may be the times when he has to dig in with conditions favouring the bowler that will continue to take his game to another level. We saw it in the recent Australia versus India series when Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was made to work very hard for his runs in Adelaide following a disappointing start to the series by his standards. He adapted to the situation and the needs of his side and stuck in to make 140 dogged runs, without his usual flow of pulls, drives and cuts.
We know Pietersen is also capable of such feats, he described his century against India at Lords last year as "right out of the top drawer", he even went as far as to say "I'd probably rate that as No. 1 to be totally honest". This was in testing conditions, the ball was moving around and India, led by the impressive duo of RP Singh and Zaheer Khan, bowled superbly. Everybody knows what KP is capable of when he is on top of the attack with the ball coming nicely onto the bat, and in New Zealand he will find conditions much more in keeping with his style than in the sub-continent. Brought up on the pacy, bouncy tracks of South Africa and having honed his technique on tracks that offer bowlers ample assistance in England, the New Zealand pitches are unlikely to deter his dominance.
I feel the cricketing public in general are the ones that are punished from Shane Bond's absence, his duel against Kevin Pietersen would have been an absorbing one. If Pietersen was to succeed, there will have been times where he would have to give ground to the bowler, recognise and accept when Bond is in the middle of a good spell and simply bide his time and keep his wicket intact, although it may not be common practice for Pietersen to do so. Bond will undoubtedly be missed, and while it will be a mistake to underestimate the Kiwi attack, it does happen to be one of the weakest on the international circuit.
Pietersen though, appears to be firmly focused on the job in hand. When recently quizzed about the Ashes in 2009, he rightly stated there are five big series before then, and five series that demand full concentration if England are to build any momentum heading into 2009.
While there is expected to be enough movement in the tracks to encourage the quicker bowlers, batsman will reap the rewards once they get set. It is widely acknowledged that Pietersen is at his best when he takes his time and builds his innings without risking too many expansive strokes too early.
He will have a score to settle in relation to one-day cricket. During the last tour to Sri Lanka, his average dropped below 50 for the first time in his career. He had mixed success in 2007 in the 50-over game, his quality was there for all to see in the World Cup, but since the prestigious tournament he has struggled to take control of matches like he did so frequently earlier in his career, despite playing a decisive innings in the final ODI against India last year.
He entered the World Cup with a strike rate just under 95 and even after his successful tournament, it has dropped to 88.29 runs per 100 balls, which is admittedly no disgrace, but perhaps an indication that he has struggled to dominate attacks recently or has he undergone a change in mindset, only too aware of how important his wicket is to the side. Either way, his average of 30.25 since the World Cup indicates he is lacking form in the one-day arena.
Kevin Pietersen will be keen to address his recent disappointments. Great players use their resources and hit back strongly. In New Zealand, Pietersen will face an attack not at its strongest and he will prey on any hesitancy, his positive style ensuring the pressure is forced onto the bowler and they cannot afford to be anything other than at their best if they want to trouble KP. The battle with Vettori promises to be the most intriguing viewing.
With everything taken into consideration, the failure period that Shane Warne talked about may be on hold for the time being at least.
(Cricket Web, 06/02/2008)
http://www.cricketweb.net/blog/features/5.php
There will inevitably come a time when Pietersen finds it difficult to replicate his outstanding Test career form to date. His eccentric strokeplay, which involves reverse sweeping for six, arrogantly manipulating the ball from six inches or more outside his off stump through straight mid-wicket and his general contempt for the bowler, will all come under severe scrutiny. In some parts these will be seen as the reasons for a slump, with people quickly forgetting how they cheered such strokes when they were perfectly executed. Only journalists and spectators can have it both ways.
As Warne suggests and history demands, the runs will dry up for a time at some stage. Following his disappointing tour of Sri Lanka, Pietersen will be determined that that time is not now.
He has struggled to recapture his fluency on the low, slow wickets of the sub-continent. It was the first time he went through a Test series without registering a half century and an average of only 25.20 was all he had to show for his efforts.
It is easily forgotten the success that KP enjoyed through 2007, even allowing for his rather fruitless tour of Sri Lanka. He was one of only three Test batsmen to pass 1,000 runs for the year - Jacques Kallis 1,210 runs and Sourav Ganguly 1,106 led the way - at an average of over 50.
Of course his runs will not always be scored in the scintillating fashion that he is so associated with and it may be the times when he has to dig in with conditions favouring the bowler that will continue to take his game to another level. We saw it in the recent Australia versus India series when Australia skipper Ricky Ponting was made to work very hard for his runs in Adelaide following a disappointing start to the series by his standards. He adapted to the situation and the needs of his side and stuck in to make 140 dogged runs, without his usual flow of pulls, drives and cuts.
We know Pietersen is also capable of such feats, he described his century against India at Lords last year as "right out of the top drawer", he even went as far as to say "I'd probably rate that as No. 1 to be totally honest". This was in testing conditions, the ball was moving around and India, led by the impressive duo of RP Singh and Zaheer Khan, bowled superbly. Everybody knows what KP is capable of when he is on top of the attack with the ball coming nicely onto the bat, and in New Zealand he will find conditions much more in keeping with his style than in the sub-continent. Brought up on the pacy, bouncy tracks of South Africa and having honed his technique on tracks that offer bowlers ample assistance in England, the New Zealand pitches are unlikely to deter his dominance.
I feel the cricketing public in general are the ones that are punished from Shane Bond's absence, his duel against Kevin Pietersen would have been an absorbing one. If Pietersen was to succeed, there will have been times where he would have to give ground to the bowler, recognise and accept when Bond is in the middle of a good spell and simply bide his time and keep his wicket intact, although it may not be common practice for Pietersen to do so. Bond will undoubtedly be missed, and while it will be a mistake to underestimate the Kiwi attack, it does happen to be one of the weakest on the international circuit.
Pietersen though, appears to be firmly focused on the job in hand. When recently quizzed about the Ashes in 2009, he rightly stated there are five big series before then, and five series that demand full concentration if England are to build any momentum heading into 2009.
While there is expected to be enough movement in the tracks to encourage the quicker bowlers, batsman will reap the rewards once they get set. It is widely acknowledged that Pietersen is at his best when he takes his time and builds his innings without risking too many expansive strokes too early.
He will have a score to settle in relation to one-day cricket. During the last tour to Sri Lanka, his average dropped below 50 for the first time in his career. He had mixed success in 2007 in the 50-over game, his quality was there for all to see in the World Cup, but since the prestigious tournament he has struggled to take control of matches like he did so frequently earlier in his career, despite playing a decisive innings in the final ODI against India last year.
He entered the World Cup with a strike rate just under 95 and even after his successful tournament, it has dropped to 88.29 runs per 100 balls, which is admittedly no disgrace, but perhaps an indication that he has struggled to dominate attacks recently or has he undergone a change in mindset, only too aware of how important his wicket is to the side. Either way, his average of 30.25 since the World Cup indicates he is lacking form in the one-day arena.
Kevin Pietersen will be keen to address his recent disappointments. Great players use their resources and hit back strongly. In New Zealand, Pietersen will face an attack not at its strongest and he will prey on any hesitancy, his positive style ensuring the pressure is forced onto the bowler and they cannot afford to be anything other than at their best if they want to trouble KP. The battle with Vettori promises to be the most intriguing viewing.
With everything taken into consideration, the failure period that Shane Warne talked about may be on hold for the time being at least.
(Cricket Web, 06/02/2008)
http://www.cricketweb.net/blog/features/5.php
Careers over for Sri Lankan duo
Whilst the Sri Lankan population celebrate the record feat achieved by Muttiah Muralitharan for becoming the record Test wicket taker in the history of the game, Sanath Jayasuriya announced his retirement meaning Sri Lanka will now have to cope without both batsman that featured in their most influential opening partnership in their history, at least in the Test arena.
Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu combined at the top of the Sri Lanka's batting order in Test cricket since August 1997 and did so on 118 occasions in total, scoring 4,469 runs in partnership, at an average of 40.26. The amount of runs that they accumulated makes them the third most successful partnership in Test cricket, surpassed only by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes (6,482 runs), and Matthew Hayden's combination with Justin Langer (5,655), foundations of which were fundamental to their sides unprecedented success.
They were an accomplished double act in the one-dayers also, managing a higher average than in Test cricket, (43.36) which made the decision to take Atapattu to the World Cup earlier this year and not play him even more puzzling. His relationship with the management was far from ideal and his on-running public disagreements (ultimately referring to them as 'a set of muppets headed by a joker') may have hastened his decision, after he had proved he was still capable of competing against the best, in Australia.
Jayasuriya has of course retired before, in 2006, yet he reversed his decision and returned to the Test fold but has since failed to recapture the form of his glory days, although that did not show with his flashing blade in full effect in his final innings in Kandy.
To forge a successful opening partnership it is imperative that there is an understanding, and despite the huge contrast in their styles, Atapattu and Jayasuriya complimented each other perfectly. One patient, one swashbuckling, one right-hander, one left-hander, one orthodox, one unorthodox. A good line and length to one was being pulverised at the opposite end by the other.
Atapattu was a nervous starter but once he was in and settled there was no way through his tight defence, he possess amazing powers of concentration and a textbook technique with a cover drive that would challenge Michael Vaughan and Michael Hussey as the most pleasing on the eye. He was not deterred by the lack of scoring options, willing instead to grit his teeth, keep his wicket intact and await his opportunity to score. His orthodoxy epitomised the traditional style of an opening batsman.
Testament to his concentration, is the fact that there is only Donald Bradman, Brian Lara and Wally Hammond that have managed more double centuries than Atapattu (6).
Despite being relatively consistent in getting their side off to a solid start, they had to wait until the 43rd attempt before they surpassed the landmark of a century opening stand, and when it arrived, boy did they cash in, against the pace attack of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. It was the third Test and Sri Lanka had already lost the series, but Jayasuriya and Atapattu combined for an opening stand of 335, Atapattu finished on 207 not out while Jayasuriya made 188, the game was ultimately abandoned to to inclement weather.
As is so often the way, you wait so long to reach a landmark that the next one arrives in the very next game, the first Test against South Africa saw them put on a further 193 for the first wicket, and Atapattu and Jayasuriya were becoming one of the finest combinations on the circuit.
If they had endured a start to their partnership that would undoubtedly improve, then the only conceivable way for Atapattu was up, following his turbulent introduction to Test cricket. In his first six innings he only registered a single run, yet his fortunes were turned round when he was asked to open the innings. In their first trip to the wicket together they made 39, with Jayasuriya dominating the headlines for the following days with a fantastic innings of 340 against the unfortunate Indians.
If Atapattu saw the challenge of facing the new ball as a tactical game of patience and severe test of technique, then Jayasuriya saw it as an opportunity to cash in while the ball was hard, enabling him to hit it harder and further than with the softer version, and chance his arm by going over the top due to the attacking fields set by the opposition.
Jayasuriya was certainly the entertainer, he enjoyed nothing more than bludgeoning a delivery that offered width through the point region, unafraid to hit over the infield and indeed over the crowd. To date Jayasuriya has struck over 300 international sixes (there may be more to come as his retirement does not extend to ODI's), while Atapattu on the other hand managed a total of just 19 (four in Test matches and 15 in ODI's).
Atapattu signed off in November with a technically proficient display scoring 80 in the face of some aggressive fast bowling by Brett Lee and co. Despite being in the international wilderness for nearly two years (due to injuries and selection politics) he was still at home at this level and that is the way he wished to be remembered. His career average (39.02) perhaps does not offer a true representation of the talent he possessed, although his average increased to 43.23 as a specialist opener.
Jayasuriya's last innings demonstrated his brand of cricket that had become synonymous with his name, just ask Jimmy Anderson who was savaged for six fours in a single over. He fell 22 runs short of a goodbye century.
The immediate effect of their retirements is that they will have to play the remaining two Test matches against England with a partnership that has relatively little experience of Test cricket. Sri Lanka have not only lost two consistent performers but also two former captains that have attained so much knowledge of the game that consequently they become very difficult to replace.
It is expected that Upul Tharanga will come in to partner Michael Vandort for the remaining two Tests. The pair do have experience of facing the new ball together against England previously, but not particularly fond memories, in four attempts their highest partnership was six.
Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya were two batsmen of obvious dissimilarity, yet as a partnership their compatibility was clear for all to see, and there is no question that it may take Sri Lankan cricket some time to find their perfect alternatives.
(Cricket Web, 05/12/2007)
http://www.cricketweb.net/article.php?CategoryIDAuto=%203&NewsIDAuto=4811
Jayasuriya and Marvan Atapattu combined at the top of the Sri Lanka's batting order in Test cricket since August 1997 and did so on 118 occasions in total, scoring 4,469 runs in partnership, at an average of 40.26. The amount of runs that they accumulated makes them the third most successful partnership in Test cricket, surpassed only by Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes (6,482 runs), and Matthew Hayden's combination with Justin Langer (5,655), foundations of which were fundamental to their sides unprecedented success.
They were an accomplished double act in the one-dayers also, managing a higher average than in Test cricket, (43.36) which made the decision to take Atapattu to the World Cup earlier this year and not play him even more puzzling. His relationship with the management was far from ideal and his on-running public disagreements (ultimately referring to them as 'a set of muppets headed by a joker') may have hastened his decision, after he had proved he was still capable of competing against the best, in Australia.
Jayasuriya has of course retired before, in 2006, yet he reversed his decision and returned to the Test fold but has since failed to recapture the form of his glory days, although that did not show with his flashing blade in full effect in his final innings in Kandy.
To forge a successful opening partnership it is imperative that there is an understanding, and despite the huge contrast in their styles, Atapattu and Jayasuriya complimented each other perfectly. One patient, one swashbuckling, one right-hander, one left-hander, one orthodox, one unorthodox. A good line and length to one was being pulverised at the opposite end by the other.
Atapattu was a nervous starter but once he was in and settled there was no way through his tight defence, he possess amazing powers of concentration and a textbook technique with a cover drive that would challenge Michael Vaughan and Michael Hussey as the most pleasing on the eye. He was not deterred by the lack of scoring options, willing instead to grit his teeth, keep his wicket intact and await his opportunity to score. His orthodoxy epitomised the traditional style of an opening batsman.
Testament to his concentration, is the fact that there is only Donald Bradman, Brian Lara and Wally Hammond that have managed more double centuries than Atapattu (6).
Despite being relatively consistent in getting their side off to a solid start, they had to wait until the 43rd attempt before they surpassed the landmark of a century opening stand, and when it arrived, boy did they cash in, against the pace attack of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. It was the third Test and Sri Lanka had already lost the series, but Jayasuriya and Atapattu combined for an opening stand of 335, Atapattu finished on 207 not out while Jayasuriya made 188, the game was ultimately abandoned to to inclement weather.
As is so often the way, you wait so long to reach a landmark that the next one arrives in the very next game, the first Test against South Africa saw them put on a further 193 for the first wicket, and Atapattu and Jayasuriya were becoming one of the finest combinations on the circuit.
If they had endured a start to their partnership that would undoubtedly improve, then the only conceivable way for Atapattu was up, following his turbulent introduction to Test cricket. In his first six innings he only registered a single run, yet his fortunes were turned round when he was asked to open the innings. In their first trip to the wicket together they made 39, with Jayasuriya dominating the headlines for the following days with a fantastic innings of 340 against the unfortunate Indians.
If Atapattu saw the challenge of facing the new ball as a tactical game of patience and severe test of technique, then Jayasuriya saw it as an opportunity to cash in while the ball was hard, enabling him to hit it harder and further than with the softer version, and chance his arm by going over the top due to the attacking fields set by the opposition.
Jayasuriya was certainly the entertainer, he enjoyed nothing more than bludgeoning a delivery that offered width through the point region, unafraid to hit over the infield and indeed over the crowd. To date Jayasuriya has struck over 300 international sixes (there may be more to come as his retirement does not extend to ODI's), while Atapattu on the other hand managed a total of just 19 (four in Test matches and 15 in ODI's).
Atapattu signed off in November with a technically proficient display scoring 80 in the face of some aggressive fast bowling by Brett Lee and co. Despite being in the international wilderness for nearly two years (due to injuries and selection politics) he was still at home at this level and that is the way he wished to be remembered. His career average (39.02) perhaps does not offer a true representation of the talent he possessed, although his average increased to 43.23 as a specialist opener.
Jayasuriya's last innings demonstrated his brand of cricket that had become synonymous with his name, just ask Jimmy Anderson who was savaged for six fours in a single over. He fell 22 runs short of a goodbye century.
The immediate effect of their retirements is that they will have to play the remaining two Test matches against England with a partnership that has relatively little experience of Test cricket. Sri Lanka have not only lost two consistent performers but also two former captains that have attained so much knowledge of the game that consequently they become very difficult to replace.
It is expected that Upul Tharanga will come in to partner Michael Vandort for the remaining two Tests. The pair do have experience of facing the new ball together against England previously, but not particularly fond memories, in four attempts their highest partnership was six.
Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya were two batsmen of obvious dissimilarity, yet as a partnership their compatibility was clear for all to see, and there is no question that it may take Sri Lankan cricket some time to find their perfect alternatives.
(Cricket Web, 05/12/2007)
http://www.cricketweb.net/article.php?CategoryIDAuto=%203&NewsIDAuto=4811
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