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Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
Cape Town – Welsh county Glamorgan have their sights set this year on recruiting a Cape Cobras pair separated in age by some 13 years – veteran seam bowler Charl Langeveldt and promising batsman Richard Levi.
UK reports this week suggest that the club will approach Langeveldt, the 36-year-old specialist “death” bowler who missed the World Cup cut for the Proteas, to represent them in the domestic Twenty20 competition only.
But they have season-long plans, apparently, for Newlands team-mate Levi, the 23-year-old batsman who does not always crack the Cobras’ first-team nod but remains a highly promising talent – he opened his Standard Bank Pro20 campaign majestically last Friday by scoring 68 off 45 balls in a last-ball victory over the Titans.
Should he agree to go, it would be the former Wynberg BHS and SA U19 star’s first full season at County Championship level, and potentially an enriching experience for him: he has some prior experience of playing for the Glamorgan second XI in 2009, and played local league cricket for Abergavenny.
The South African influence in Cardiff in 2011 may be a strong one, considering that Proteas opening batsman Alviro Petersen has already been confirmed as Glamorgan’s captain.
Langeveldt is an old county hand, boasting previous service to all of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Somerset.
Sport24 reported earlier this week that Warriors paceman Wayne Parnell, who did make the South African World Cup squad, will join Sussex as their designated overseas player at the end of June, replacing Pakistan’s Rana Naved.
Here is some news of other South African-born players in terms of county cricket this summer, as reported by BBC Sport and other sources in England:
Makhaya Ntini: The veteran former Proteas strike bowler is “desperate” to return to Kent for another season, possibly as a Kolpak player, according to coach Paul Farbrace.
Martin van Jaarsveld: The experienced former Titans and South Africa batsman may end an illustrious five-year career with Kent, where he routinely topped the 1000-run mark, as he has been linked with a move to Lancashire.
Friedel de Wet and Johann Myburgh: Both will be Kolpak players for Hampshire, where Imran Tahir is the overseas player. Ex-Titans batsman Myburgh no longer plays in South Africa as he is now based in New Zealand for southern hemisphere summers.
Dale Benkenstein: The long-serving Durham and former Dolphins and South Africa batsman has agreed to lead the county in limited-overs action this season, but not the four-day Championship, where Phil Mustard will call the moves.
Tyron Henderson: The 36-year-old former Warriors and Cobras all-rounder, a one-cap wonder for the Proteas at Pro20 level, has been released by Middlesex after playing in the domestic T20 competition only last year.
Zander de Bruyn: The Lions and ex-Proteas all-rounder has shifted from a long-time base at Taunton, with Somerset, to London and a new Kolpak deal with Surrey at the Oval.
