Cricket South Africa is the moer in with Duanne Olivier who chose a Kolpak deal to play in the UK over a national contract and a two-year deal to stay at home.
CSA chief executive Thabang Moroe didn’t hold back in voicing his unhappiness.
“We find it extremely disappointing that Duanne has taken this step after all the opportunities we have given him, particularly over the past season and going forward, to live his dream of being an international cricketer,” Moroe said.
“He was upgraded to a national contract during the current season on the strength of his outstanding performances in our Test squad, and we offered him a two-year contract, which would have given him financial security through to the end of the 2020/21 season.
“He was not short of opportunity either, as he played in all six Test matches against Pakistan and Sri Lanka during the current summer, and was also considered for white-ball selection.
DISAPPOINTED: CSA's Thabang Moroe. Photo: MUZI NTOMBELA/BACKPAGEPIX
The Proteas paceman stunned the local cricket fraternity on Tuesday when English side Yorkshire announced that Olivier had signed a three-year Kolpak contract with them.
That means he is ineligible for Proteas selection, so he effectively gives up international cricket, having been part of the starting XI in all six Tests this season against Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Olivier said in a statement that as difficult as it had been to make such a big call to leave South African cricket, family considerations formed part of his decision to take the plunge.
“I would be lying if I said this wasn’t a difficult decision to make. It’s giving up playing for my country, with no guarantees of playing international cricket again.
HUGE LOSS: Proteas boss Ottis Gibson. Photo: BACKPAGEPIX
But when you can get 18 rand to the pound (and he is said to be earning up to £150 000 per season at Yorkshire), financial security has won out.
His take-home pay as a centrally contracted South Africa player would be roughly a third of his new salary during this time but with no guarantees over selection and with uncertainty over the Kolpak route post-Brexit, the lure was too strong.