- Proteas legend Allan Donald said Kolpak players needed to reintegrated back into the South African domestic system.
- Their experience and leadership are needed in the young provincial dressing rooms.
- Donald was also concerned about the lack of depth in South Africa's fast bowling stocks.
Legendary Proteas speedster Allan Donald said South African cricket needs to reintegrate its former Kolpak players back in the domestic system.
This in the wake of Kagiso Rabada joining Donald and five other South African fast bowlers in the 200-Test wicket club.
Donald was overjoyed by Rabada's achievement, but also concerned by South Africa's fast-bowling depth.
Marchant de Lange, Kyle Abbott and Duanne Olivier are just three bowlers that South Africa cricket lost to the Kolpak system.
But with the UK exiting the EU, a number of bowlers are available to play in South Africa as locals.
Donald, whose Knights team will be playing in the Momentum 1-Day Cup semi-final against the Lions in Potchefstroom, said their experience was necessary as they could teach the youngsters the intricacies of the game that coaches might not always cover.
"I honestly believe that we need those guys back in the system. They all have experience and there will be those people who'll disagree with what I'm saying.
"They chose to leave SA to further their careers in the Kolpak system, but having seen from an experience and role model perspective, we need those guys back in our system because a lot of our youngsters are playing without role models at the moment.
"That leadership, understanding and experience is much needed in our first-class set-up at the moment. It will make our cricket healthier and more aggressive, especially for our first-class system. We need that leadership and experience back. It's also important to know that players learn more from players than they do from coaches.
Donald used the Knights' acquisition of former Titans middle-order tyro Farhaan Behardien as an example of a senior player who is more than worth his weight in gold.
"That kind of experience is immeasurable. That informed the reason as to why I brought Farhaan Behardien into the team, so that he can be a role model for the youngsters in the team.
"They'll learn from him with regards to sustaining pressure, batting under pressure in a four-day game. That's why I wanted him back. I know a lot of people won't agree with me, but that's why we need them back.
He said the lack of depth outside the first-choice bowling options for the Proteas was concerning.
"In Australia, you can leave out a Starc or a Cummins and there's back-up from their side. At the moment, I'm worried about our bowling back-up and stocks. There aren't many guys who can fill spots or be thrown into the deep end against Pakistan. I've had a good look in the past three-and-a-half months and it's not happening across the franchises.
"SA has always been blessed with fast bowling stocks, but the national team is going through a transitional phase and so is the provincial game. It's also my job to ensure that I bring young guys through to play for the national team. It's not all doom and gloom, but it is a fact. We just need to ask ourselves as to how do we produce fast bowlers that the national selectors will pick from and how long will that take."
Donald's playing career overlapped the splitting of the County Cricket system from one block of 18 teams to two blocks of nine teams 21 years ago and it ended in 2004 just before the formation of the franchise system in 2004.
The franchise system will cease to exist at the end of this season, heralding the return to the provincial system that Donald grew up in playing for Free State.
He said the expanded 15-team would not only serve to absorb the Kolpak players but would bring back an important competitive element with promotion/relegation and a final.
"I was in England when they started the two-tier County Championship, and everyone was up in arms. For example, when Kent went up into division one, the difference was unbelievable. The pitches are better, the quality of the bowlers was better, the experience and leadership were better. Every session was tough.
"There will be the debate over guys losing their jobs, but maybe this should have been done eight years ago. We now have to start over again and build for the national team. There will be a two-year period where everyone will settle in, but once the promotion/relegation kicks in, we'll see how the intensity of the cricket will rise. Every day will be a battle, especially when you're fighting to stay up," Donald added.