S'hampton Seagull
Well-known member
Any ideas? I thinking could be someone like Shaun Pollock.
Kolpak signing could join Sussex
By Bruce Talbot
Sussex coach Mark Robinson admitted that the club's main signing for their title defence is likely to be a Kolpak registration.
The county are closing in on a yet un-named target and Robinson is hopeful of concluding a deal in the next few days.
He said: "We have someone in mind but I don't want to say too much more than that, not least because it alerts other counties.
advertisement
"We have a good record as a club of bringing in quality players from overseas and the player concerned would really improve our bowling and batting."
Sussex already have one Kolpak registration in Murray Goodwin and have been reluctant to go down that route again.
But Robinson admits he has limited options as he tries to improve the squad hoping to claim a hat-trick of Championships because of the dearth of quality English players available.
He said: "The market for English players has gone stupid and some of those available are asking silly money.
"The Kolpak issue is contentious - as a club we realise that - and ideally it is not a route we would go down.
"The problem has been created because we can only have one overseas player instead of two next season.
"In the past we were able to sign someone like Yasir Arafat and Rana Naved on an affordable basic salary which was also heavily incentivised and these guys would be desperate to do well so you would get value for money. You get that with Kolpak players too if you sign the right one."
Robinson has not ruled out a move to bring back seamer Billy Taylor. The 30-year-old has only been offered a one-day contract at Hampshire whom he joined after helping Sussex win their first Championship in 2003.
Leicestershire have cooled their interest in Taylor, who was with Sussex for five years.
Robinson added: "Depending on what happens Billy is someone we would consider.
"You know what you get with Billy. He is vastly experienced but we would not regard him as a like-for-like replacement for someone like Rana Naved.
"Guys like Rana, Mushtaq Ahmed, Murray Goodwin and Chris Adams are one-offs and impossible to replace."
Meanwhile, Robin Martin-Jenkins will sign his new one-year contract next week. The all-rounder has been awarded a benefit in 2008.
Kolpak signing could join Sussex
By Bruce Talbot
Sussex coach Mark Robinson admitted that the club's main signing for their title defence is likely to be a Kolpak registration.
The county are closing in on a yet un-named target and Robinson is hopeful of concluding a deal in the next few days.
He said: "We have someone in mind but I don't want to say too much more than that, not least because it alerts other counties.
advertisement
"We have a good record as a club of bringing in quality players from overseas and the player concerned would really improve our bowling and batting."
Sussex already have one Kolpak registration in Murray Goodwin and have been reluctant to go down that route again.
But Robinson admits he has limited options as he tries to improve the squad hoping to claim a hat-trick of Championships because of the dearth of quality English players available.
He said: "The market for English players has gone stupid and some of those available are asking silly money.
"The Kolpak issue is contentious - as a club we realise that - and ideally it is not a route we would go down.
"The problem has been created because we can only have one overseas player instead of two next season.
"In the past we were able to sign someone like Yasir Arafat and Rana Naved on an affordable basic salary which was also heavily incentivised and these guys would be desperate to do well so you would get value for money. You get that with Kolpak players too if you sign the right one."
Robinson has not ruled out a move to bring back seamer Billy Taylor. The 30-year-old has only been offered a one-day contract at Hampshire whom he joined after helping Sussex win their first Championship in 2003.
Leicestershire have cooled their interest in Taylor, who was with Sussex for five years.
Robinson added: "Depending on what happens Billy is someone we would consider.
"You know what you get with Billy. He is vastly experienced but we would not regard him as a like-for-like replacement for someone like Rana Naved.
"Guys like Rana, Mushtaq Ahmed, Murray Goodwin and Chris Adams are one-offs and impossible to replace."
Meanwhile, Robin Martin-Jenkins will sign his new one-year contract next week. The all-rounder has been awarded a benefit in 2008.
