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Cape Town - Proteas quickie Duanne Olivier is set to earn considerably more at Yorkshire.
The aggressive fast bowler, who has burst onto the Test scene in recent months, shocked the cricketing world on Tuesday by announcing that he had signed a three-year Kolpak deal with the English county.
It is a move that effectively ends his international career with 10 Tests and two ODIs to his name.
And it appears that monetary considerations may have played a large part in the 26-year-old's decision to head abroad.
According to English publication The Guardian, Olivier is said to be earning up to £150 000 (R2.7 million) per season at Yorkshire.
The report added that his take-home pay as a centrally contracted South Africa player would have been roughly a third of his new salary during this time.
Cricket South Africa on Tuesday said Olivier was offered a two-year deal.
"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," commented CSA CEO Thabang Moroe.
"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 2020-2021 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.
"If one looks at the bigger picture this is not good news for the global game either that a player who has just broken into the top 20 on the ICC Test match bowling rankings for the first time should opt effectively to bring down the curtain on his international career in favour of playing only in domestic leagues."
Olivier told Yorkshire's official website that he made the decision in the best interests of his family.
"I came over to the UK last year and thoroughly enjoyed my time playing county cricket. I have since realised I could happily base myself there for the foreseeable future. I was originally looking to come back as an overseas player but when I got a long-term offer from Yorkshire as a Kolpak I knew that signing for the club would be the best option for both myself and my family."
