Brexit complications have made Cameron Delport’s continued County Cricket career uncertain, but his Plan B could be a boost to the Proteas World Cup hopes.
Photo Copyright – Steve Haag Sports
Delport has revealed that he has spoken to both Director of Cricket Graeme Smith and Proteas Team Director Mark Boucher about the possibility of a Proteas call.
The former Hollywoodbets Dolphins allrounder has scored more T20 runs than any other uncapped South African cricketer but hasn’t been eligible for national team duty since taking up a career in England on an ancestral visa.
The 31 December deadline for the end of the Brexit transition period could signal radical changes for professional sport in the United Kingdom, and it is clear that all Kolpak contracts will be void.
Delport isn’t on a Kolpak deal, and he may be allowed to continue playing as a non-overseas player in County Cricket and the Hundred.
Boucher and Smith have told Delport that he will need to produce runs in South African domestic competitions to earn a place in the 2021 T20 World Cup in India.
There is a strong case for Delport to earn promotion to the national team, even if he wasn’t really close to a place when he was based in South Africa.
Delport starred for the Paarl Rocks in the 2019 Mzansi Super League and has done well in T20 leagues across the globe.
“They said if I’m available, then I’ve still to score the runs, and I communicated to them that I don’t want an easy route in. I won the Mzansi Super League last year with Paarl Rocks, and I’ve been in the top run-scorers in it,” Delport told ESPN Cricinfo.
“I think they do keep an eye on me playing in leagues, and I’m playing against international players – I haven’t gone and sat on the bench, I’m racking up the games and experience now. There’s been a few conversations, and we’ll see how they plan.
“The policy in South Africa is that if guys do well in domestic cricket, they’ll get an opportunity. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, but at least I’d know that when I do eventually retire that I’ve had a good crack at representing my country. I don’t want to hold any regrets on that.”
At 31-years-old Delport could still produce his best cricket at the next two T20 World Cups and give the Proteas a proven match-winner in their middle-order.
Written by James Richardson for Hollywoodbets
