National Contracts for the Youth

Old Hands can go Freelance

    National contracts transformed cricket for the better when they were first introduced throughout the world, not just amongst the Test-playing nations. They allowed national bodies to manage their most important assets giving players the best chance to be in peak physical condition for high profile, international fixtures.

    They were the universal aspiration for the world’s best cricketers. Now, there is a higher aspiration – to reach the level above national contracts, the level of financial security which renders them obsolete, or at least irrelevant. But only financially. They can still serve a useful purpose.  

No more than a dozen of South Africa’s 18 nationally contracted men’s cricketers are reliant on the retainer income provided by Cricket South Africa. And the ‘control’ enjoyed by the governing body has also become theoretical in many cases. If Kagiso Rabada’s advisors, for example, decided he needed to skip the tour to Bangladesh later this year, CSA’s contractual right to insist he tours would not be enforced. He is too valuable to upset.

    Anrich Nortje’s omission from the contract list last week was described as a ‘shock’ and a ‘snub’. Nothing is likely to be further from the truth. Having just turned 30, become a father and spent five months out of the game, Nortje’s priorities have been given a proper shake-up. If he chose not to have the commitments of Proteas camps and sponsor appearances while he eases his body back to full 150kph functionality, who could blame him?

    Nortje’s IPL contract with the Delhi Capitals is worth around 10 times his CSA contract and, should his fitness and ability to bowl long spells dictate a change in career-path, then he would undoubtedly benefit from the freedom of movement and choice afforded by the status of a freelancer.

    David Bedingham, 29, was also described as ‘unlucky’ not to have been offered a national retainer given that his four Tests have yielded 347 runs at an average of 49.57 with a century and two 50s. He may have even more valid and compelling reasons for preferring not to be contracted, as keen and committed as he is to playing Test cricket for his country.

    Bedingham is a bedrock of the Durham batting line-up, much admired and greatly appreciated by his employers. Should their expected challenge for the County Championship materialise, Bedingham would be ill-advised to put country before club. At this stage he is available for South Africa’s two Tests in the Caribbean in August because County cricket defers to ‘The Hundred’ during that month and Bedingham is uncontracted in The Hundred. For now.

    Durham are happy to release their star middle-order batsman for international duty provided it does not significantly clash with their own ambitions. For now. If a small tweak in the international schedule meant Bedingham would miss a potentially crucial 4-day game for his main employers, he might be jeopardising the next six years of his career. Frankly, accepting a national contract would be foolishness.

    There are, however, a variety of reasons for players to readily sign national contracts aside from finance. Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Andile Phehlukwayo, Temba Bavuma and Bjorn Fortuin might appreciate the money but for others, who earn dollars and pounds, it is the management infrastructure which appeals. And the natural selection deference towards to contracted players.

    Medical treatment and health insurance are obvious benefits but there other, less visible attractions. Such as negotiations with T20 franchise teams. Given the nature of private ownership players can, and often do, experience extreme personal ‘pressure’ to fulfil contracts and play when they are either physically or mentally unfit to do so. That’s when it’s ‘useful’ to be withdrawn from a T20 commitment by a third party. The players can shrug their shoulders and apologise to the owners: “Not my fault, sorry.”

    Mistakes have been made around the world with national contracts. ECB Director of Cricket, Rob Key, was behind the appointment of 29 centrally contracted players. Injury-prone 34-year-old fast bowler, Mark Wood, was handed a three-year deal. Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid, both 36, were retained on two-year deals. There was more than a suggestion that they emanated from a ‘reward’ basis than ‘future planning.’ Jimmy Anderson’s £1million, one-year contract was widely viewed as sentiment rather than sense.

    The future trend, however, is surely towards securing and rewarding the younger generation of players and enabling them to realise their dreams on the international stage before they move into independence. Rather than enabling them to stay there.  

SA National Contracts:

Batsmen: Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks, Temba Bavuma, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Rassie van der Dussen, Tony de Zorzi:

Wicket keeper / batsmen: Heinrich Klaasen, Ryan Rickelton,

All rounders: Marco Jansen, Andile Phehlukwayo.

Spinners: Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Bjorn Fortuin.

Fast Bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Gerald Coetzee, Nandre Burger.