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ECB's changes its stance on national qualification: http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... lity-rules

The new ECB eligibility criteria for players, both men and women, from January 1, 2019, are:
a) British Citizenship and,
b) Either born in England/Wales, or 3 years residence (a total of 210 days/year April-March) and
c) Not played as a local player in professional international or domestic cricket in a Full Member country within the last 3 years

How do you guys think this will affect us?

It is easier for many Zimbo kids to qualify compared to the 7 year wait that the norm earlier. But it is also easy for a host of other guys to qualify, so more competition. Does that competition in any way make it less attractive for guys looking for highest honour in the sport and make ZC a low hanging fruit? Will it change anything for guys looking for better quality life / more predictable and stable future? What are your thoughts?

Barbadian Jofra Archer is eligible to play for England from January 2019

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cri ... 58986.html

Well that’s a huge turnaround and looks like it was for one guy!! Archer is one special talent, I’ve watched him live a few times, bloody impressive, scary bowler he is.
As far as our Zim players are concerned, most have played international of FC so they have that 3 year wait, but it doesn’t change the fact that you still need to get into the UK to serve those 3 years. Maybe ECB think that the Home Office have that base covered?
The one thing for sure is that they are not wanting to make this easier for overseas cricketers, they’ve spent years plotting to make it harder so this surprising turnaround looks like it’s for one guy!
The ramifications of this monumental turnaround will be written about shortly I’m sure. Maybe England think that their cricket is strong enough to withstand an influx of overseas players, and I think that’s probably true, their cricket is bloody strong and they have some superb players at the moment.
Zim cricketers will never be a threat and the South African flow of cricketers has been pinched off so they’re not a threat either. The eligibility criteria for players under 18 has been 4 years, so now it’s a year less, so that may see Muyeye getting signed on a junior contract at the end of 2019.
This is very interesting.

I’m looking at that release. It says -
a) British citizenship AND
b) etc etc

If the AND was an OR it would be different. I’m just surmising our loud. I need to read up about this.

No surprise to see England loosen their eligibility rules

Archer has a British passport, born in Barbados to an English father, so he’s first generation.

Sorry I had momentary confusion pre coffee.
Obviously you need he passport to play for England as Joffra does, but not for County. This does loosen up County it seems, but a player still needs to get into the UK to serve the 3 years. So ECB have loosened up and Home Office have tightened up.
Where does this leave Club cricket, because they had made their eligibility requirements stricter.
I need more coffee, this is confusing.

Its crazy how teams like SA, the Windies, Zim and Ireland dont make the ICC come with its own strict rules. Any once in a generation player from those countries has a real chance of getting poached. Maybe Brexit will help because most of these players wont be able to reside in the UK for 3 years.

I personally think they should follow the rugby union route and make it impossible for you to play for another country once you have played for at least 1 of your country sides. In rugby you choose which team you want to register but you can only register 2. So SA were smart enough to register the national team and the u19s instead of the A team for Rugby

Ya I don’t agree with that at all. If you’re fortunate enough to be a top sportsman why should you be held captive by a country that considers you a third class citizen?

True. I agree you shouldnt be held captive but I think once you have made the choice to play for 1 country you shouldnt be able to change. What Ed Joyce did for me even though I dont know the full details seems a bit ridiculous. Playing for Ireland and then Englamd and then Ireland again.

There has to be something that separates domestic cricket from international cricket. 20 years from now when the UAE is a bit bigger and maybe has full test status you will see how ridiculous it is when they start "buying" players like they do for other sports like athletics.

Imagine Blessing Muzarabani miraculously tearing it up on the county scene then playing for England. How ridiculous would that be? Or maybe the rules must be that you must be a citizen of that country not just a 3 year residency