South African cricket needs Kolpak players. Period.

According to reports, there’s a real chance that local players on Kolpak contracts in England might not be allowed to play domestic cricket from next season.

Much like the debate in rugby, loyalty to South Africa seems to be the overriding reason for this.

However, that would be an unbelievably short-sighted move from Cricket South Africa as the recently concluded Sunfoil Series showcased how Kolpak players are keeping a diluted franchise system competitive.

By simply citing statistics of those players, the argument to keep them playing here is compelling.

DANE VILAS (DOLPHINS/LANCASHIRE): 734 runs, average: 66.72

Dane Vilas. (Photo by Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images)

The former Proteas wicketkeeper-batsman was the second-highest run scorer for the Dolphins, only behind the experienced Vaughn van Jaarsveld.

He also finished sixth in the overall list.

The next best Dolphins batter scored almost 200 runs less.

SIMON HARMER (WARRIORS/ESSEX): 47 wickets, average: 21.85

This, yes, former Proteas Test off-spinner’s impact was actually a bit frightening.

He was the leading wicket-taker this season and finished with 14 wickets more than his nearest rival, the Dolphins’ Senuran Muthusamy.

And to think he’s a spinner in South Africa’s “seamer-friendly” environment.

No other bowler besides the aforementioned men took more than 29 wickets.

COLIN ACKERMANN (WARRIORS/LEICESTERSHIRE): 660 runs, average: 66

Colin Ackermann. (Photo by Richard Huggard/Gallo Images)

Ackermann isn’t technically a Kolpak player but his EU-passport qualification means he can’t play for South Africa.

The compact right-hander was the Warriors’ leading run-scorer and seventh on the overall list.

It’s arguable that the Warriors wouldn’t have come within a whisker of the title without him.

MARCHANT DE LANGE (KNIGHTS/GLAMORGAN): 20 wickets, average: 35.90

Marchant de Lange. (Photo by Louis Botha/Gallo Images)

Yes, those stats aren’t particularly flattering but this was a pretty depressing campaign for the Knights’ bowlers.

De Lange still took the most wickets for the franchise this season.

STIAAN VAN ZYL (CAPE COBRAS/SUSSEX): 540 runs, average: 90

Stiaan van Zyl. (Photo by Gerhard Duraan/Gallo Images)

The Cobras and coach Ashwell Prince deserve credit for trusting their local brigade of batsmen as Pieter Malan (892) and Zubayr Hamza (828) ended third and fourth respectively on the overall runs list.

However, Prince also brought back Van Zyl, a former Protea badly dogged by being forced to open in Tests, for the second half of the campaign.

It added a new competitive advantage to the Cobras’ product.

The left-hander, as his stats show, pretty much dominated. Those runs were scored in just five matches.

HEINO KUHN (TITANS/KENT): 349 runs, average: 34.9

Heino Kuhn. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images)

He only signed his Kolpak agreement earlier this month but if he’s not returning to the Titans, he’ll leave a massive hole.

Kuhn has been a mainstay of the franchise for the best part of a decade and his 86 last week secured an unlikely title for the Titans.

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