The tradition of County Cricket is arguably one of the most quint and endearing sporting cultures that British sport has too offer but with the influx of many Kolpak players along with an Overseas player – could the route of taking less counties mean that the system produces a better pool of International players for England to chose from?
This post is written on the back of Lancashire signing West Indies legend, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and South African wicketkeeper, Dane Vilas on Kolpak deals. The signing of Chanderpaul is certainly saying something about the quality of cricketer being produced in this country. Chanderpaul is 42 years of age and surely taking the place of a young cricketer coming through, this surely is saying that there is no one deemed good enough in an Lancashire academy that has produced many England internationals to step up and play in the first team this summer.
Alongside this, Vilas must surely be taking the gloves away from young English wicketkeeper, Alex Davies who missed most of 2016 with a knee injury. Maybe, Vilas is a signing of precaution should injury hamper Davies again in 2017.
Saying this, Lancashire are not the only team to be filled with Kolpak signings. Hampshire and Sussex both have made two Kolpak signings apiece this season and there are many expected to join. Though the signings will undoubtedly improve the quality of cricket played by these sides, will English players in the long run suffer by lack of game exposure, we shall wait and see.
With the restructure of the T20 competition in England looking imminent and potentially in place by 2018, we could well see a more cutthroat selection process in T20 cricket within England with just eight franchises expected to be taking part across the country. Could a similar process across all formats of English cricket be in order also?
Luke Dunning 