The South African Influx
Former English skipper Micheal Vaughan has lashed out yet again against the massive influx of South Africans into the English cricket scene. Vaughan said, "It's very, very difficult to stop them (South African players). I would like to see, in an ideal world, 11 complete Englishmen in the team but I don't think that's ever going to be the case.", getting the entire cricketing fraternity debating.
I agree with Vaughan that England won't see a match where there will be 11 English players with cent percent English blood like Vaughan had playing, and I don't see a problem in this. I do disagree however with Vaughan that this is a problem.
Vaughan sees this issue has a big tricky problem and went onto say, "It's a very tricky one. Someone like Kevin Pietersen made the decision very early to come over to England and he learnt a lot of his cricket here. [But] I do have a problem when the likes of Jonathan Trott, and [Craig] Kieswetter, who's played for the South African Under-19s. I think in Trott's case even played for the South African A team. Now that is where I have a problem, that we have almost got a 'ship-in' system of looking at talent, and a lot of them come over for the money."
In the current English team Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott, Craig Kieswetter, Matt Prior are all South African born cricketers. Vaughan is alright with the names of Pietersen, Strauss and Prior because of the simple reason that they started their careers in England and not in South Africa. While players such as Trott (whom he already had singled out in his autobiography - 'Time to Declare') and Kieswetter have made their career starts in South Africa, and not in England. In my view, this is utter nonsense because Kevin Pietersen also started playing cricket in South Africa before moving over. Pietersen played for Natal and then only did he move to England to seek better opportunities. Strauss moved out when he was just five and Prior when he was eleven, so these two players had their entire cricket upbringing in England unlike Pietersen. But the interesting part is that Vaughan is not upset with Pietersen playing, while even he is in the same group as Trott and Kieswetter.
The main influx of the South African cricketers into the English cricketing scene is because of the selection system in South Africa. South Africa is a country that was torn by racial segregation and many turmoils. Despite the new republic being formed under Nelson Mandela, issues like racism don't die overnight and the only way to prevent it is the quota system. It is not the most appropriate, and most liked way, but it is a way of doing things in a country that is desperately trying to forget it's past racist history. Since the selection policy is based on the quota system, many players like Pietersen and Trott don't make the cut, and find themselves in the 'uneventful and ugly' side of the quota system. Pietersen spoke strongly against it and moved to England. Another main reason is money. South Africa may be developing their cricketing scene, but it is still nowhere near the English circuit. Further more, these South African born players who often hold English passports (due to one of their parents or grandparents being English) find themselves easily in the English county scene as an English player rather than an overseas player. This makes their selections more favorable and also they get to earn money. For these South African born 'English' cricket players, England seems like the land of milk and honey as they get better exposure, financial gains and also opportunities. So why wouldn't they want to come to England?
I understand Vaughan's dream of an English team filled with Englishmen. I wouldn't like to see Monty Panesar playing for India just because his parents are from India. It not only is unfairly good to him, but also unfair to an Indian born player wanting that spot in the playing 11. But in the end it is all legal and perfectly fair because both the players fought for the same place and the best one won. The selectors will always try to choose the best players to field, and if Monty is among the 11 best players for India, then I have absolutely no problems in him representing India.
England is the home for thousands of immigrants and this is seen in their football and cricket teams. I don't see why a big issue is being made into this. The English national cricket team may not contain pure Anglo-Saxon blood, but it still contains a little bit of the Anglo-Saxon blood. It's a multi-cultured team, but still very much an English team. At the end of the day, the players all represent England and play wearing the emblem of the three lions on their shirts. You want to see your 11 best players taking field and representing England. Not your 11 best pure Englishmen. As long as loyalties and interests of the multi-cultured players are with England and don't clash with other teams, I don't see the problem. I really admire the way Kieswetter handled the issue when he said, "Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but for me it's about putting performances in on the park and helping England win."
I don't really understand Vaughan's making this a big issue. After it's still the English who play for England.
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Thanks sir ;)
As for the racism angle is considered, I have mentioned racism in only 4 places in this article and three of these places I use it to describe South Africa's old segregation system. The other was in the faulted analogy which I have edited.
As for my stand, I still do not deviate from it, and think that Vaughan is making a mountain out of a mole hill.
The above article is the edited article. I am truly sorry for my earlier comments.
Strauss was born in South Africa.