By JMB
August 17 2006

Yorkshire have welcomed the ECB's decision to reduce overseas players permitted at Counties from two to one from 2008. Counties may replace an overseas player who is injured or required by his country and up to four may be registered per season. There is a general desire to provide more opportunities for home-grown youngsters; counties and supporters are becoming fed-up with the endless comings and goings necessitated by international call-ups – Durham fielded six "official" overseas players at various times last season.

"I support what they are doing," said Yorkshire's director of cricket David Byas. "It's absolutely right. English cricket is in a stable position. It has benefited by having two overseas players but now is the right time to go back to one. Personally, I'm delighted, because we've got quality young players coming through. Hopefully, in two seasons' time, they will have had time to mature. We are very fortunate to have had quality overseas players – the contribution they've given can't be criticised. Our youngsters have learned from them and developed. Going down from two overseas players to one doesn't sound a lot but it is – it gives opportunities. We are in the game of developing cricket and cricketers for England."

The ECB's changes, though, will not affect the position of "Kolpak" players – foreigners (usually, in cricket, from South Africa, the West Indies and continental Europe) who do not count as foreign under general employment laws. It would be illegal for cricket clubs to discriminate against these Kolpaks but the ECB is able to "incentivise" counties who field nine or more England-qualified players. These incentives currently make up less than 10 per cent of the ECB's hand-outs to counties but the figure will rise to 20 per cent over the next couple of years.
Six of Yorkshire's regular XI learned their cricket abroad, as did young seamer Mitch Claydon, although Craig White and Michael Lumb have English parentage and have represented England at various levels. On the other hand, Byas has fielded nine Yorkshire-born players aged 22 or less this season.

When Darren Lehmann was asked on the Saturday morning Show whether he felt the new rules would affect cricket and indeed himself he laughed and stated he was retiring at the end of the season!