Kolpak and the Brexit effect
The issue of Kolpak regulations in county cricket is likely to be further muddied by the result of the EU referendum
ESPNcricinfo staff
13-Dec-2016
The issue of South Africa players seeking deals in the UK has raised the muddied issue of Kolpak regulations in county cricket and how they might be affected by Brexit. Writing in the Guardian, Andy Bull, revisits the story of Slovakian handball player Maros Kolpak - the "butterfly [that] flapped its wings in the small town of Östringen" in 2000 - and ponders one of the EU's quirkier legislative legacies:
In the past few weeks, three recent South Africa internationals have signed Kolpak deals. Simon Harmer has joined Essex, Stiaan van Zyl has joined Sussex, and Hardus Viljoen has headed to Derbyshire. All three have played Test cricket for South Africa in the previous 12 months, and all three have decided to give up their international careers for the duration of their contracts. Dane Piedt and at least one other current Test player are also said to be seeking Kolpak deals. This is likely to be the last great gust, a final flurry of Kolpak signings before Brexit comes into effect, and the route into English cricket through EU legislation is cut off by the Home Office.