New Proteas quick poised to join Kolpak ranks

Fast bowler Dane Paterson, who played in South Africa's two most recent Test matches, is negotiating a Kolpak deal to play county cricket in England, according to his domestic coach Ashwell Prince.

Former Test batsman Prince said Paterson, 31, was in the final stages of concluding a deal with the unnamed county, with ESPN reporting Nottinghamshire is the side trying to secure the quick’s signature.

Prince was explaining why Paterson's name was missing from a list of players contracted by the Cape Cobras franchise for the 2020-21 season.

Paterson played in the third and fourth Tests against England in January, taking four wickets at an average of 41.50.

Although Paterson previously played in four one-day internationals and eight Twenty20 internationals for South Africa, he was not selected for white-ball matches against England and Australia that followed the Test summer, which Prince said was a factor in the player's decision.

If Paterson secures a deal, he could be the last of dozens of South Africans to benefit from the Kolpak ruling that allows players from countries with trade deals with the European Union to play sport in the EU without being classified as overseas players.

With Britain having left the EU, Kolpak deals in England are due to expire at the end of the 2020 season, which has been postponed because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The likes of Duanne Olivier, Kyle Abbott, Rilee Roussow and Simon Harmer have all turned their backs on the Proteas in recent years to take up a Kolpak deal, while Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Hashim Amla also joined county sides following their international retirements.

A Cape Cobras spokesman said that Paterson's deal was subject to approval from the England and Wales Cricket Board. If approval was not forthcoming the county would sign Paterson as an overseas player.