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English cricket looks set to embrace a return towards allowing two overseas players across county competitions as it comes to terms with the implications of Brexit.

The UK officially left the EU at the end of January. While most regulations remain in place, it is currently anticipated that existing trading agreements - including the Kolpak loophole - will be closed when the transition period between the EU and the UK closes at the end of December.

As a result, the ECB has recently issued guidelines stating its expectation that all Kolpak registrations will be invalidated at the end of 2020. This will apply irrespective of the length of an individual player's contracts with their county.

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id ... indow-shut

This can help Zimbabwe & South Africa. It will be great if Zimbabwe receives boost of getting Blessing Muzarabani before the start of ICC Odi League 2020

Blessing definitely isn't a priority. Hopefully we see him back after this season then. Blessing and Murray in 2021. I'm already excited.

It puts our cricket in perspective when we need a guy struggling to make the starting line up in a middle of the road county side to open the bowling for our national side.

So how would this work exactly?

Surely Players on a Kolpak deal who have become citizens of the Uk, which would have to be the majority of those who have been there longer than 3 years, have got their citizenship or close to it.

Looking at Big bad Blessing, couldn’t he opt to sit out a year whilst his citizenship goes through?

I’m reading it as it won’t change much for the guys who’ve already bolted but it will stop future flow.

You have to have been there 5 years legally and then you apply for permanent residence and you have to have been on that for at least a year. During that period if you have so much as one misdemeanor or conviction against your name you’re jigged. I know a person that was denied their citizenship and it’s going through a lengthy appeal process (9 months) because they had not paid their TV license three years prior to that. They had moved house and had not collected the bill. There’s nothing they don’t try and do to prevent you getting a citizenship.
If you get married then it’s 3+1 years. During whatever period you are serving you can’t be out the country for more than half a year in any given year and 90 days in your last year. Matt Pillans the Yorkshire bowler had to start afresh because he was out of the country one more day than he was allowed. They make it very very difficult.

ZIMDOGGY wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 06, 2020 6:05 am

So how would this work exactly?

Surely Players on a Kolpak deal who have become citizens of the Uk, which would have to be the majority of those who have been there longer than 3 years, have got their citizenship or close to it.

Looking at Big bad Blessing, couldn’t he opt to sit out a year whilst his citizenship goes through?

I’m reading it as it won’t change much for the guys who’ve already bolted but it will stop future flow.

Doesnt it take 5 years for permanent residency?

Well there are 17 kolpaks according to this article and about 18 counties I think. The good Kolpaks shouldn't be affected then. It's guys like Blessing still finding their feet who might get axed. I would hope he sneaks an international place then he can play for us and still play county cricket. That would be the best possible outcome.

I don't know if the South African Kolpaks will be taken back with open arms though. They have to make it work there

Blessing is not even close unless he gets married to an English rose.

So the process from beginning to end is about six and a half years and you have to be squeaky clean, not one mistake.

Zim and SA are governed by the Cotonou Agreement and that expires this month. I don’t know if it’s being renewed.

So Muyeye for example has a problem that only discretionary powers can solve because he’s on a study permit and that don’t count for Jack shit. He can prolong his stay by extending his study visa and going to university but none of that time counts towards naturalization.