The Edge: it is time cricket tightened rules on dual nationality
The Sunday Times' Cricket Correspondent says it is in South Africa's interests to tighten up the regulations, says Steve Harmison can find redemption in county game and proposes two divisions for Test cricket
Michael Vaughan has been getting it in the neck for wishing that Jonathan Trott, England’s Ashes-winning hero who was born and raised in South Africa, “was a bit more English” - and on the face of it his complaint does look like another example of English cricket’s “little Englander” mentality.
As long as he plays for England, Trott is sure to endure the sniffiness from critics that was previously directed at the likes of Andrew Caddick, Graeme Hick and Geraint Jones, all born in foreign parts. Not quite one of us, you know. It is not something that is much of an issue when the player concerned is performing well but when things go wrong, just watch how fast knives are drawn.
This is slightly absurd in an age where movement around the globe is so easy and commonplace. Sport has long reflected this multi- culturalism and it would be strange if this diversity was outlawed by effectively tying people to the places of their birth. Does anyone wish that Andy Flower, England’s coach who played his international cricket for Zimbabwe, was “a bit more English”?
And yet there do have to be rules regarding qualification for a “second” country and it seems to The Edge that cricket is too lax in the ones it has drawn up. The problem with cricket is that when it comes to qualification it seems it is never too late to change your mind. You just have to live in a second country – and wait. You’ll be naturalised, and eligible, in the end.
In this respect, football sets a far better example. Before 2003, when Fifa overhauled its regulations, a player was deemed to have made his choice of country once he had played internationally at youth level. After that he could not switch allegiance to another territory, however long he might live there.
However, following complaints that young players of dual nationality were being coerced into making a decision about which country to play for before they were mature enough to know what they were doing, Fifa reviewed the situation. Since 2003, young footballers have been allowed – in principal at any rate – to switch countries at any time up to the age of 21 (which is the age at which football youth internationals stop rather than at 19 as is the case in cricket).
However there are important provisos – namely that the footballer must already possess dual nationality at the time he made his first appearance in a youth international, and that he cannot switch if he had already played for someone at full international level.
This is very different from what happens in cricket – and very different from what Trott was allowed to do by the members boards of the International Cricket Council (who should shoulder the blame for the situation rather than the player himself, incidentally).
Trott represented South Africa both at under-15 level, touring England with them in 1996, and at under-19 level, at which he played three “Test” matches in Pakistan alongside Graeme Smith. It was not until he was 21 that Trott followed his parents to England – where his father was born and now intended to work. Trott moved because he had decided that English cricket would better further his development than cricket in South Africa. But if the football system was adopted, he would not have been allowed to switch because by the time he had qualified for England through residence he was in his mid-twenties.
A similar case looms with Craig Kieswetter, the young Somerset batsman- wicketkeeper who has just been added to England’s Performance squad.
Just three years ago, Kieswetter was keeping wicket for South Africa at the Under-19 World Cup – Wayne Parnell, a likely opponent of England this winter was among the attack – and yet by serving four years of residential qualification, a term that ends in February next year when he will be 22, he can wipe his involvement with South Africa from the record.
Trott and Kieswetter are rare cases. In fact, the only other person playing county cricket today who has appeared in under-19 matches for another country is Hampshire’s Michael Lumb, who represented South Africa’s youth team in 1997. In earlier times, Alan Mullally, Craig White and Jason Gallian all represented Australia Under-19s before going on to represent England in full internationals.
There is really no reason why cricket could not tighten up its rules on this issue and as they are the ones most hurt by defections today it is the South Africans would should start lobbying for it - fast.
Harmison will find redemption in county game
Steve Harmison’s decision to sign a new four-year contract with Durham is an interesting one. It provides further evidence that the generally held assumption that he does not much care for cricket, and only plays the game as a poor second to playing up front for his beloved Newcastle United, is as wide of the mark as that famous ball he bowled in Brisbane.
The occasional nightmare spell apart, Harmison enjoys playing cricket and absolutely loves bowling. As Michael Vaughan wrote in his book, whenever Harmison was taken off he was inclined to go into a sulk – which hardly suggests he was playing under duress.
What Harmison actually did not like was the spotlight that came with playing for England. International cricket is a harsh arena, unremitting and unforgiving in its scrutiny, and trying to bowl fast is an elusive art, requiring a perfect rhythm above all else. Sometimes Harmison didn’t know himself why some days he bowled well and other days badly and he didn’t appreciate legions of media observers giving their manifold opinions as to why.
(If this particular observer might offer one suggestion, however, it would e that it might have helped had Harmison more often turned up fully fit for work).
Harmison will enjoy playing for Durham in front of smaller crowds, fewer pundits – the collapse in national newspaper coverage of county cricket could not be better timed from his point of view – and bowling at opponents who in some cases will provide stern resistance but in most instances will bend to his will. A few will be absolutely terrified. Around the counties, batsmen will not be happy at the prospect of Harmison giving his all for Durham.
Harmison is apparently intent on reaching 1,000 first-class wickets. It is a respectable ambition that, if achieved, would leave him with a record that would quieten all but the meanest of commentators. His haul currently stands at 679 from 189 matches, so at his recent rate of progress in four-day cricket for Durham – almost 4.5 wickets per match – it may take him five seasons to get there, by which time he would be approaching his 36th birthday. No reason why he should still be going by then.
As with many whose Test careers prove something of a disappointment, Harmison will relish being a big fish in a smaller pond, enjoying the triumphs available while knowing that no tragedy can be as great as those already endured. We have seen the same with Mark Ramprakash, Graeme Hick and Dominic Cork. They all sought some sort of redemption in county cricket. And The Edge for one isn’t betting against Harmison finding it either.
Time for two divisions of Test game
Ireland’s aspiration to achieve Test status has got to be admired. On the face of it, they are plainly not ready for such a mighty step up.
The infrastructure of their domestic cricket is simply not strong enough to develop a sufficient quantity of cricketers capable of playing four- and five-day matches.
The introduction of the Intercontinental Cup in 2004 was a significant help to those nations below Test match level and Ireland have proved themselves clearly the strongest side in this group, having gone undefeated since 2004. But beating the likes of Scotland, Namibia, Bermuda, Canada and Holland is hardly preparation for Test matches in, say, fiercely demanding conditions on the subcontinent.
But Ireland’s dreams could yet be realised because with the ICC about the review the future structure of Test cricket, one increasingly attractive scenario is for Test cricket to be split into two leagues, but for that to happen more teams would be required to occupy a second tier along with the likes of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. This is where Ireland, Kenya and others might come in. If nothing else two-division Test cricket would release some pressure on a congested fixture list.
