South African-born Kolpak cricketers have an uneasy relationship in both the countries that they ply their trade in.
In England they are viewed as mercenaries only based in the United Kingdom to profit from the vastly superior exchange rate while denying young English cricketers an opportunity. Back home they experience even less love with locals branding them as “sell-outs” and having “turned their back on their country” as a player only becomes eligible to sign for an English county as a Kolpak after he gives up his right to play for his country.
Cape Cobras opening batsman Richard Levi is one such player. Levi, who is still the record-holder of the fastest T20I century by a Proteas player, has just returned to Newlands from a season playing as a Kolpak for Nottinghamshire where he was his team’s leading run-scorer in the T20 Blast (485 runs at 34.64) and averaged 44.20 in the County Championship.
Considering Levi spearheaded the Cobras’ march to the RamSlam T20 title last season by topping the national run-scorers list with 392 runs too, it seems that at only 27-years-old it is almost a waste that Levi may never play for South Africa again. “Do I want to play for the Proteas again? Of course I want to. I loved playing for my country. But what was I supposed to do? Since I returned from my back injury, I have been consistently among the top five run-scorers in both limited-overs formats of the game locally and I haven’t received a single call from a national selector,” Levi said.
“Nobody has bothered to call me, to chat to me, or to explain to me where I stand in the system. I would love to play for South Africa again, but at this stage of my career I am concentrating solely on doing well for Nottinghamshire and now back in Cape Town for the Cobras. It’s great to be back at Newlands and it’s great to come back to a team that is always challenging for silverware as that motivates you to keep the team on top of the perch.”
When Cobras’ coach Paul Adams opens up the newspaper this morning at his favourite coffee shop and reads the latter statement, it will certainly bring a smile to his face.
There was always the danger that Levi could’ve returned a bit jaded after a long season – Adams has given Levi’s Nottinghamshire teammate Rory Kleinveldt a three-week break – but the fact that he is hungry to take on the Lions’ bowlers in Saturday’s One-Day Cup opener at the Wanderers bodes well for the season ahead.
Perhaps it does help that Levi is excited with the prospect of returning to one of his favourite hunting grounds. The burly opener has gorged himself at the Bullring in recent years where he has taken full advantage of the good batting pitch and fast outfield. “It will be nice to go back to the Bullring. I’ve batted okay there over the last while haven’t I? We don’t usually play one-day cricket at the Wanderers at this time of the year, so I don’t expect a belter.
“But saying that, the outfield is always really quick and with the ground being at altitude, anything you hit in the air really travels. So I am looking forward to having a crack and hopefully I can help the Cobras get off to a good start.”
Adams has yet to finalise his squad, but at this stage it is safe to assume that injured Beuran Hendricks and Wayne Parnell will not yet be part of the plans. - Cape Times