Kyle Abbott's recent decision to join the Titans has left local cricket with a moral conundrum.
How former Kolpak contract holders are reabsorbed into the fold has become a matter for debate after the loophole that allowed foreign nationals from trade partner countries the same rights as EU residents was closed. The door shut when the UK left the EU on January 1.
After Abbott's short-term deal was announced, social media was aflutter.
Kolpak players are said to have turned their back on the national team.
It is a stigma Andrew Breetzke, CEO of the SA Cricketers' Association (Saca), believes is unfair. "Players are professional and they have to make decisions that is in their best interest financially.
"Faf [du Plessis] was a Kolpak player, and that probably made him a better player. Hashim Amla and Morne Morkel were Kolpak players at the end of their careers. Vernon [Philander] and Farhaan Behardien were going to be Kolpak players."
He said sentiment shifted when players started leaving in their prime. Rilee Rossouw, Simon Harmer, Colin Ingram, Stiaan van Zyl and Duanne Olivier all used the loophole.
"Lessons were learnt in how to do that," acknowledged Breetzke after some jetted off amid much turbulence. "Players needed to be encouraged that if you are going to leave you need to have a constructive engagement with Cricket SA. At the same time, CSA need to be mature about it. That's why in the past an element of mistrust crept in. That's gone. I would like to think we have put measures in place to help keep players in the system."
Though Abbott has taken a short-term deal it doesn't mean the ground is fertile for a mass return. "Kolpak players were always permitted to play domestic cricket," said Breetzke. "In the past two years CSA changed the rules by saying they could not be paid out of the allocation. That meant teams could not afford them."
Some players may have been stung on their way out and may harbour resentment.
Breetzke believes however the players who are in self-exile can benefit the system. He agrees the grizzled professionals who have been reabsorbed in the rugby landscape have made a difference.
"What is one of our cricket's imperatives? We need to have a strong Proteas team. If you don't you are nowhere in the world. You don't get the broadcast deals etc and that is non-negotiable. For us to have a strong Proteas team we have to have a strong domestic competition. We have to have a strong transformation pipeline as part of that as well."
He stressed, however, that if players were to return to the system it would require a balancing act as there needed to be enough scope for emerging talent. "If you ask 'is it beneficial to have a Simon Harmer bowling in our domestic competition?' Of course.
"People will say it takes away opportunity but that is where the balance comes in."
Upon his unveiling as a Titans player, Abbott, now 33, accepted while taking wickets he now needs to help those around him. "I feel I have a lot of experience that I can pass on. It is just going to be when and where to use it. Hopefully I can help them with the stuff they've already got in place."
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