Dane Paterson could soon put end to his South Africa career by becoming the latest and probably the last to travel the Kolpak route towards county cricket in UK. The 31-year-old pacer, who has represented the Proteas in 2 Tests, 4 ODIs and 8 T20Is, is understood to be in talks with Nottinghamshire over a Kolpak deal, claims a report in Cricbuzz.
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Paterson's coach for his domestic franchise Cape Cobras, Ashwell Prince, confirmed to an online press conference on Monday (April 6) that "we've been informed he (Paterson) is doing so (going Kolpak)", without specifically naming the county club he is joining. "But he needs final boxes to be ticked by the ECB [England Cricket Board]. We've been told it's going to be done."
Paterson will become the 69th player to exercise the Kolpak option if the deal is indeed sealed. As many as 48 of the 68 there are South Africans. However, Paterson's Kolpak journey could be shortlived considering the fact that the United Kingdom (UK) left the European Union (EU) on March 31, which will directly impact the Kolpak ruling.
The English counties have been using the Kolpak cricketers to field more than two overseas players that the ECB allows them to field in a first-class XI.
The Kolpak route is available for citizens of the 78 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries whose governments are party to the Cotonou agreement with the European Union.
The arrangement also makes citizens of 105 other countries - the remaining 27 in the EU and the 78 Cotonou signatories - English with regards to their eligibility to turn up in county cricket.
This, however, will finally change at the end of this year as UK's transition period out of EU culminates on December 31. This will bring an end to the Kolpak window also. Unless, of course, the transition period is extended.
In wake of that, Paterson has kept another option open for himself. "He has signed a Kolpak deal effectively," Cobras' spokesperson David Brooke said. "He is just awaiting the final rubber stamp from the ECB. If Kolpak falls away then he will be playing as an overseas pro for the County. We have been requested not to mention the name of the County until Dane has had his final interview with the ECB to ratify it."
Paterson's departure might not hurt South Africa as much as some of the other Kolpak deals have in the past because of the fast bowling options available in the national side. But it does further weaken the domestic game.
"As a 30-plus-year-old bowler you don't have that many years left in you," Prince said. "I'm sure they sit down and calculate what realistic opportunities will they have of playing for the Proteas. If not, they'll consider other options."
(Inputs from Cricbuzz)
