No Kolpak signing now for De Lange
CONTRARY to intense media speculation in South Africa and England‚ Proteas fast bowler Marchant de Lange will not be signing a Kolpak contract with Glamorgan.
This was confirmed by Free State Cricket Union chief executive Johan van Heerden, who said he had spoken to De Lange this week and believed he could still push for a regular place in the Proteas.
Players like Kyle Abbott‚ Rilee Rossouw‚ David Wiese‚ Colin Ingram, Stiaan van Zyl‚ Simon Harmer and Hardus Viljoen have effectively ended their Proteas careers after signing Kolpak contracts with various English counties.
“He told me he had not given signing a Kolpak contract much thought because he believed he could still push for a regular place in the Proteas sides‚” Van Heerden said.
“When he joined us from the Titans‚ he said he wanted regular game time because he was competing with established fast bowlers in Pretoria.
“That is still his mission and he strongly believes he could force his way into the Proteas in the coming months.”
De Lange has played two tests‚ four one-day internationals and six T20 matches for the Proteas since his debut in 2011‚ and played his last international match last year.
Van Heerden said even if De Lange was interested in signing a Kolpak contract‚ he would not qualify because the rules stipulated that a player must have played at least one test or 10 ODIs in the last 18 months.
“He played the last of his only two test matches for South Africa in 2010 against New Zealand in Wellington and he has only played four ODIs, with the last against England in Bloemfontein last year.
“At the moment, he is not eligible and is focusing on forcing his way into the South African side‚” Van Heerden said.