The Claude with a silver lining
Judhajit
25-Feb-2013
capecobras.co.za
Claude Henderson grew up in Worcester in the Cape winelands, had a fine schoolboy career and went straight into first-class cricket for Boland, first under Bob Woolmer, before transferring to Western Province, where Duncan Fletcher was coach. He was picked for South Africa and played seven Tests, but his place was never secure.
Disillusioned, he turned his back on his country, falling into the arms of the East Midlands. A six-month contract with Leicestershire became a long-term year-round one, and he and his wife Nicci put down roots. The lanky left-arm spinner, the first Kolpak, talks about the journey so far in the Times.
There is so much negative talk about Kolpak cricketers. If you pick the right Kolpak, it will only strengthen the side and strengthen the system. There are lots of EU cricketers - I won't mention any names - who don't do that. England still has more players to qualify for their Test team than any other country, and Justin Langer said that this is now the strongest league in the world.