Cape Town - Knights CEO Johan van Heerden is confident that fast bowler Marchant de Lange will not sign a deal to play Kolpak cricket in England.
Afrikaans weekly, Rapport, reported at the weekend that De Lange could join Glamorgan, with negotiations between the fast bowler and the English county believed to be “at an advanced stage”.
De Lange, 26, has played two Tests, four ODIs and six T20Is for South Africa in an injury-plagued career.
But according to his franchise CEO, De Lange will not be lost for South African cricket.
“I spoke to him and he told me that he has not given signing a Kolpak contract much thought because he believes that he could still push for a regular place in the Proteas sides‚" Van Heerden was quoted as saying by the SowetanLIVE website.
According to Van Heerden, De Lange at does not qualify because for a Kolpak deal because the rules stipulate that a player must have played at least one Test or 10 ODIs in the last 18 months.
“He played the last of his only two Test matches for South Africa in 2010 against New Zealand in Wellington and he has only played four ODIs with the last England in Bloemfontein last year,” Van Heerden added.
In the last week, all-rounder David Wiese, fast bowler Kyle Abbott and batsman Rilee Rossouw shocked the South African cricket fraternity by signing Kolpak deals and make themselves unavailable for the Proteas.
Other Proteas players to have recently signed in England include batsmen Colin Ingram and Stiaan van Zyl, spinner Simon Harmer and fast bowler Hardus Viljoen.