List of Kolpak cricketers

Citizens of countries with free trade treaties with the EU, were eligible for signing Kolpak deals.

European Union

Agreement in force

Agreement (in part) provisionally applied

Agreement signed, but not applied

Agreement initialed, not signed

Agreement being negotiated

Agreement negotiations on hold/suspended

The Kolpak ruling was made on 8 May 2003 in favour of Slovak handball player Maroš Kolpak, by the European Court of Justice. Maroš Kolpak had lost his contract with German handball club TSV Ostringen, as his team already had two non-EU players. Kolpak appealed to the European Court of Justice, claiming that he should not be considered as a non-EU player as he was a German resident, and Slovakia was part of the European Union Association Agreement. The court ruled in favour of Kolpak, and allowed citizens of countries that had free trade treaties with the EU, and were part of European Union Association Agreements, to work in any EU country. In March 2004, South African cricketer Claude Henderson became the first player to sign a Kolpak agreement, which ended his international career.[1][2][3][4]

Maroš Kolpak, who lends his name to the ruling. Dwayne Smith was a Kolpak player for Sussex until 2010.

The ruling allowed citizens of around 100 nations to play cricket in any EU nation without being considered as an overseas player. The Cotonou Agreement allows the citizens of most Caribbean and African nations to be eligible for signing Kolpak agreements. However, the British Home Office stipulates that a player must have a valid work permit for four years or must have a specified number of appearances in international cricket to sign a Kolpak deal. Kolpak players older than 18 years can qualify to represent England after playing for seven years for a county and gaining citizenship. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) pays £1,100 less to a county for each County Championship game and £275 less for each One Day match per Kolpak player who plays instead of a domestic cricketer. This is aimed at reducing the mass arrivals of overseas players into county cricket.[3][4][5]

Cricketers born in British overseas territories can play county cricket as locals and need not sign Kolpak agreements. For instance, Omari Banks, who has played for the West Indies, was eligible to play for Leicestershire and Somerset as a local player because he is from Anguilla (a British overseas territory).[5]

Kolpak deals are not possible once Britain withdrew from the European Union as part of Brexit.[6]

## List of players

[edit]

Alfonso Thomas played his only international match in 2007 before joining Somerset as a Kolpak player in 2008. Nicky Boje retired with 100 Test wickets and later joined Northamptonshire as a Kolpak player. Ashwell Prince was verbally abused by Andrew Gale during a Roses Match for being a Kolpak player. Andrew Hall joined Northamptonshire in 2008 after a stint with the Hyderabad Heroes. Tino Best playing for Yorkshire in 2010. He joined Hampshire as a Kolpak player in 2017. Rilee Rossouw joined Hampshire as a Kolpak player in 2017. Year  | Name  | Country  | County team(s)  | Notes  | Ref(s)

|
|
|
|
|

2004  | Claude Henderson |  South Africa | Leicestershire | Henderson was the first player to sign under the Kolpak rule  | [1]
2004  | Grant Flower |  Zimbabwe | Essex | His brother Andy Flower also played for Essex, but he held a British passport. Grant returned to represent Zimbabwe in 2010.  | [7][8][9]
2004  | Greg Smith |  South Africa | Derbyshire, Essex | Smith joined Essex in 2011, again as a Kolpak player. He is South African, though he has never played international cricket.  | [10][11][12]
2004  | Ottis Gibson |  Barbados | Leicestershire |  | [1]
2005  | Riki Wessels |  South Africa | Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Worcestershire | Riki is the son of former cricketer Kepler Wessels. He joined Nottinghamshire in 2011 on a Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa.  | [13][14]
2005  | Charl Willoughby |  South Africa | Leicestershire, Somerset | Willoughby joined Somerset in 2006 and qualified as a UK resident in 2011  | [15][16][17]
2005  | Martin van Jaarsveld |  South Africa | Kent, Glamorgan | van Jaarsevld moved to Glamorgan in 2012  | [18][19]
2005  | Murray Goodwin |  Zimbabwe | Sussex | Goodwin had earlier represented Sussex from 2001 as an overseas player  | [20]
2005  | Zander de Bruyn |  South Africa | Worcestershire, Somerset, Surrey |  | [21]
2006  | Lance Klusener |  South Africa | Northamptonshire |  | [22]
2006  | Paul Harris |  South Africa | Warwickshire | Harris left the county when he was selected for the South African Test side in 2007  | [23]
2007  | Anthony Ireland |  Zimbabwe | Gloucestershire, Middlesex | Ireland moved to Middlesex in 2011, again as a Kolpak player  | [24][25]
2007  | Faf du Plessis |  South Africa | Lancashire | du Plessis returned to South Africa when the new rules were formed in 2010 and made his ODI debut in 2011.  | [26]
2007  | Garnett Kruger |  South Africa | Leicestershire | Kruger joined Glamorgan for the 2009 season  | [27][28]
2007  | Jacques Rudolph |  South Africa | Yorkshire | Rudolph left Yorkshire in 2011 to play for South Africa again. He later represented Surrey and Glamorgan as an overseas player.  | [29][30][31][32]
2007  | Pedro Collins |  Barbados | Surrey, Middlesex | He moved to Middlesex in 2010, again as Kolpak player  | [33][34]
2007  | Ryan McLaren |  South Africa | Kent | McLaren left Kent in 2009 to play for South Africa again. He later represented Middlesex, Hampshire and Lancashire as an overseas player.  | [35][36]
2007  | Tyron Henderson |  South Africa | Middlesex |  | [37]
2008  | Alfonso Thomas |  South Africa | Somerset |  | [38]
2008  | Andre Adams |  New Zealand | Nottinghamshire, Hampshire | Adams moved to Hampshire in 2014, again as a Kolpak player  | [39]
2008  | Andrew Hall |  South Africa | Northamptonshire |  | [40]
2008  | Charl Langeveldt |  South Africa | Derbyshire |  | [41]
2008  | Corey Collymore |  Barbados | Sussex, Middlesex |  | [42][43]
2008  | Dillon du Preez |  South Africa | Leicestershire | du Preez is South African though he never played international cricket  | [44]
2008  | Dominic Telo |  South Africa | Derbyshire |  | [45]
2008  | Dwayne Smith |  Barbados | Sussex | His Kolpak status expired in 2010 though he continued playing for Sussex as an overseas player  | [46]
2008  | Friedel de Wet |  South Africa | Hampshire |  | [47][48]
2008  | Jermaine Lawson |  Jamaica | Leicestershire |  | [49]
2008  | Johan van der Wath |  South Africa | Northamptonshire |  | [40]
2008  | Justin Kemp |  South Africa | Kent |  | [50]
2008  | Nantie Hayward |  South Africa | Hampshire, Derbyshire | Hayward joined Derbyshire for the 2009 season  | [51][52]
2008  | Nicky Boje |  South Africa | Northamptonshire |  | [40]
2008  | Shaun Pollock |  South Africa | Durham |  | [53]
2008  | Wavell Hinds |  Jamaica | Derbyshire |  | [54]
2009  | André Nel |  South Africa | Surrey |  | [55]
2010  | Neil McKenzie |  South Africa | Hampshire |  | [56]
2011  | Johann Myburgh |  South Africa | Hampshire, Somerset | Myburgh played for Durham as an overseas player in 2012 and joined Somerset in 2013 as a Kolpak player  | [57][58]
2012  | Gareth Roderick |  South Africa | Gloucestershire |  | [59][60]
2013  | Ashwell Prince |  South Africa | Lancashire | Prince had earlier represented Lancashire from 2009 as an overseas player.  | [61][62]
2013  | Brendan Nash |  Jamaica | Kent | Nash joined as an overseas player in 2012 and got Kolpak status in 2013.  | [63][64]
2013  | Kyle Jarvis |  Zimbabwe | Lancashire |  | [65]
2014  | Colin Ingram |  South Africa | Glamorgan |  | [66]
2015  | Alviro Petersen |  South Africa | Lancashire | Petersen was banned for 2 years by Cricket South Africa in December 2016 for attempting to cover up match fixing in the 2015–16 Ram Slam T20 Challenge.  | [67][68]
2015  | Brendan Taylor |  Zimbabwe | Nottinghamshire |  | [69]
2015  | Fidel Edwards |  Barbados | Hampshire |  | [70]
2015  | Richard Levi |  South Africa | Northamptonshire |  | [71]
2016  | Ravi Rampaul |  Trinidad and Tobago | Surrey, Derbyshire | Rampaul moved to Derbyshire in 2018, again as a Kolpak player  | [72][73]
2016  | Hardus Viljoen |  South Africa | Derbyshire/Kent |  | [74]
2016  | Simon Harmer |  South Africa | Essex |  | [75]
2016  | Stiaan van Zyl |  South Africa | Sussex |  | [76]
2017  | Tino Best |  Barbados | Hampshire |  | [77]
2017  | David Wiese |  South Africa | Sussex |  | [78]
2017  | Daryn Smit |  South Africa | Derbyshire |  | [79]
2017  | Grant Elliott |  New Zealand | Warwickshire |  | [80]
2017  | Kyle Abbott |  South Africa | Hampshire |  | [81]
2017  | Rilee Rossouw |  South Africa | Hampshire |  | [81]
2017  | Marchant de Lange |  South Africa | Glamorgan |
2017  | Shivnarine Chanderpaul |  Guyana | Lancashire |  | [82]
2018  | Heino Kuhn |  South Africa | Kent |  |

[83]

2018  | Morné Morkel |  South Africa | Surrey |  |

[84]

2018  | Blessing Muzarabani |  Zimbabwe | Northamptonshire |  | [85]
2018  | Wayne Parnell |  South Africa | Worcestershire |  |

[86]

2019  | Duanne Olivier |  South Africa | Yorkshire |  |

[87]

2019  | Miguel Cummins |  Barbados | Middlesex |  | [88]

## References

[edit]

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29. ^ Rudolph considers England future, BBC Online, archived from the original on 7 March 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
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33. ^ Pedro Collins signs for Surrey, ESPN Cricinfo, retrieved 11 May 2017
34. ^ Middlesex sign Pedro Collins ahead of new county season, The Guardian, retrieved 11 May 2017
35. ^ Ryan McLaren: Hampshire sign South Africa all-rounder for 2016, BBC, archived from the original on 18 November 2015, retrieved 11 May 2017
36. ^ Ryan McLaren: Lancashire sign South Africa international for 2017 season, BBC, archived from the original on 28 October 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
37. ^ Tyron Henderson, NDTV, retrieved 11 May 2017
38. ^ Thomas joins Somerset, ESPN Cricinfo, retrieved 11 May 2017
39. ^ Andre Adams: Injury forces Hampshire all-rounder retirement, BBC, archived from the original on 21 September 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
40. ^ a b c Giles slams Northants over 'lazy' Kolpak signings, Northampton Chronicle, retrieved 11 May 2017
41. ^ Langeveldt joins Derbyshire in Kolpak deal, ESPN Cricinfo, retrieved 11 May 2017
42. ^ Sussex bring in Collymore, Sky Sports, retrieved 11 May 2017
43. ^ Middlesex sign Corey Collymore as Pedro Collins leaves, BBC, retrieved 11 May 2017
44. ^ Dillon du Preez strikes early for Leicestershire, The Telegraph, retrieved 11 May 2017
45. ^ Derbyshire sign Telo on a Kolpak, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 10 September 2014, retrieved 11 May 2017
46. ^ Dwayne Smith sets sights on England, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 20 August 2013, retrieved 11 May 2017
47. ^ de Wet signs for Middlesex, ESPN Cricinfo, retrieved 14 May 2017
48. ^ Hampshire sign de Wet for 2011, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 9 January 2011, retrieved 14 May 2017
49. ^ Durham recruit Pollock, Daily Express, retrieved 11 May 2017
50. ^ Dexter quits Kent for Middlesex, Kent Online, archived from the original on 8 February 2017, retrieved 11 May 2017
51. ^ Notts establish first-innings lead, Daily Echo, retrieved 11 May 2017
52. ^ Derbyshire sign former South Africa fast bowler Nantie Hayward, The Guardian, retrieved 11 May 2017
53. ^ Jermaine Lawson: A genuine fast-bowler whose career was marred by injuries, Cricket Country, archived from the original on 1 August 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
54. ^ Derbyshire secure Hinds on Kolpak deal, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 26 September 2015, retrieved 11 May 2017
55. ^ Andre Nel quits South Africa for Surrey, The Telegraph, archived from the original on 5 October 2010, retrieved 11 May 2017
56. ^ McKenzie signs Kolpak deal with Hampshire, ESPN Cricinfo, retrieved 11 May 2017
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63. ^ Kent bring in Brendan Nash, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 6 October 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
64. ^ Kent: Jamie Clifford cautious about overseas signings, BBC, retrieved 11 May 2017
65. ^ Lancashire sign former Test bowler Jarvis, Manchester Evening News, archived from the original on 25 October 2013, retrieved 12 May 2017
66. ^ Ingram takes Kolpak route to Glamorgan, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 20 February 2017, retrieved 11 May 2017
67. ^ Alviro Petersen: Lancashire sign former South Africa batsman, BBC, retrieved 11 May 2017
68. ^ Alviro Petersen: Former South Africa batsman banned for two years, BBC, archived from the original on 23 December 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
69. ^ Brendon Taylor signs Kolpak deal with Nottinghamshire, The Hindu, retrieved 11 May 2017
70. ^ Veteran Edwards gets Hampshire Kolpak deal, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 4 December 2016, retrieved 13 May 2017
71. ^ Northants sign Rory Kleinveldt and Richard Levi for 2015 season, BBC, archived from the original on 31 October 2015, retrieved 14 May 2017
72. ^ Rampaul signing cheers Surrey after Dernbach blow, ESPN Cricinfo, retrieved 13 May 2017
73. ^ Rampaul makes Derbyshire switch for 2018, ESPN Cricinfo, retrieved 14 October 2017
74. ^ Hardus Viljoen: Derbyshire sign South Africa bowler under Kolpak ruling, BBC, archived from the original on 28 February 2017, retrieved 11 May 2017
75. ^ Simon Harmer: South Africa all-rounder joins Essex on Kolpak deal, BBC, archived from the original on 3 November 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
76. ^ Stiaan van Zyl: Sussex sign South Africa all-rounder, BBC, archived from the original on 15 November 2016, retrieved 11 May 2017
77. ^ Tino Best: Hampshire sign West Indies bowler on short-term deal, BBC, archived from the original on 29 April 2016, retrieved 14 May 2017
78. ^ Wiese joins Sussex on three-year Kolpak deal, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 10 May 2017, retrieved 11 May 2017
79. ^ Daryn Smit joins Derbyshire on Kolpak deal, Cricbuzz, retrieved 14 May 2017
80. ^ Elliott signs Birmingham Kolpak deal and calls time on NZ, ESPN Cricinfo, archived from the original on 10 May 2017, retrieved 11 May 2017
81. ^ a b Hampshire: Kyle Abbott and Rilee Rossouw quit South Africa to sign Kolpak deals, BBC, archived from the original on 5 January 2017, retrieved 11 May 2017
82. ^ Shivnarine Chanderpaul joins Lancashire, club signs Dane Vilas as Kolpak, Hindustan Times, archived from the original on 1 February 2017, retrieved 11 May 2017
83. ^ "Heino Kuhn: South Africa batsman joins Kent on Kolpak deal". BBC Sport. 7 March 2018.
84. ^ "Morne Morkel signs two-year Kolpak deal with Surrey". Cricbuzz. 10 April 2018.
85. ^ "Zimbabwe quick Blessing Muzarabani signs for Northamptonshire". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
86. ^ "Parnell Signs Three Year Deal With Worcestershire - Worcestershire CCC". Worcestershire CCC. 17 September 2018.
87. ^ "Duanne Olivier to quit South Africa after signing Kolpak deal with Yorkshire". ESPNcricinfo. 26 February 2019.
88. ^ "Miguel Cummins quits West Indies to sign Kolpak deal with Middlesex". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 October 2019.