Another Kolpak shock for the Proteas

Two years after Kyle Abbott caught Cricket South Africa (CSA) off-guard with his international retirement, history repeated itself on Tuesday.

Already in a state of shock following the unexpected Test series loss to Sri Lanka, the Proteas were dealt a further blow by the news that Duanne Olivier has signed a Kolpak agreement with English county side Yorkshire.

The three-year deal, which the 26-year-old quick said was too good to turn down, means he’s no longer available to play for South Africa.

“I would be lying if I said this wasn’t a difficult decision to make,” Olivier said in a statement.

“It’s giving up playing for my country with no guarantees of playing international cricket again. But at the end of the day, I needed to be true to myself. I’ve only got this one chance to see where my talent can take me and Yorkshire just felt right to me.”

Olivier had starred for the Proteas in the series against Pakistan, taking an incredible 24 wickets in three Tests, and still managed seven against Sri Lanka.

Whether the imminent return of Lungi Ngidi to the national setup played any role in his decision is a moot point.

“I came over to the UK last year and thoroughly enjoyed my time playing county cricket. I have since realised I could happily base myself there for the foreseeable future,” said Olivier.

“I was originally looking to come back as an overseas player but when I got a long-term offer from Yorkshire as a Kolpak I knew that signing for the Club would be the best option for both myself and my family.”

CSA, naturally, aren’t thrilled with the situation.

“We find it extremely disappointing that Duanne has taken this step after all the opportunities we have given him, particularly over the past season and going forward, to live his dream of being an international cricketer,” said CEO Thabang Moroe.

“He was upgraded to a national contract during the current season on the strength of his outstanding performances and we offered him a two-year contract which would have given him financial security through to the end of the 2020-2021 season.

“If one looks at the bigger picture this is not good news for the global game either that a player should opt to effectively to bring down the curtain on his international career in favour of playing only in domestic leagues.”

Olivier leaves the international scene having just broken into the top 20 of the ICC Test player rankings.

“I would say I’ve been in good form for the last few years. It has definitely been my most consistent period and I think my stats could attest to that. I have definitely enjoyed playing Test cricket. The Pakistan tour was by far my stand-out tour.

“I’m a bowler that wants to keep pushing myself to see how far I can go and as I enter my prime I want to be in the best possible situation to grow. Another big reason was the longevity of my career.”

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