Cameron Delport eyes South Africa T20 World Cup spot amid visa uncertainty
Cameron Delport, the globe-trotting top-order batsman, has declared his intention to play for South Africa in the 2021 T20 World Cup if he is unable to continue playing as a local in England.
Delport has been a regular on the T20 franchise circuit throughout his career, and has used a UK ancestral visa to play as a non-overseas player in county cricket since 2016, when he signed a contract with Leicestershire.
When the UK's transition period with the European Union ends on December 31, Kolpak registrations will be voided, but Delport - and Dane Vilas, the Lancashire captain who also holds an ancestral visa through his wife Pippa - is unclear whether he will be able to fulfil the final year of his Essex deal next summer.
He was also due to appear as a local player in the Hundred after picking up a £50,000 deal to play for Birmingham Phoenix in last year's draft, before the tournament was postponed due to the covid-19 pandemic.
"The situation is that there's been no answer from the ECB, or anyone," Delport told Cricday. "I've tried with my agent to reach out to them, and we're working with the PCA. There are two ways for it to play out: either I'll see out the contract, or the other option is that I won't be able to play as a local and I'll have to be an overseas player.
"I was really looking forward to the Hundred, too, where I would get to play as a local. It's been a bit frustrating, because you want to plan for the future, but if I can't play as a local then so be it: I'd definitely want to put my hat in for the Proteas because I'd be eligible for South Africa again. My first option is still to play in the UK, but we'll have to see."
Delport also revealed that he has spoken to Graeme Smith, CSA's director of cricket, and Mark Boucher, South Africa's head coach, about his chances of a recall, and has been told to keep putting performances in around the world.
"They said if I'm available, then I've still to score the runs, and I communicated to them that I don't want an easy route in. I won the Mzansi Super League last year with Paarl Rocks, and I've been in the top run-scorers in it.
"I think they do keep an eye on me playing in leagues, and I'm playing against international players - I haven't gone and sat on the bench, I'm racking up the games and experience now. There's been a few conversations, and we'll see how they plan.
"The policy in South Africa is that if guys do well in domestic cricket, they'll get an opportunity. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen, but at least I'd know that when I do eventually retire that I've had a good crack at representing my country. I don't want to hold any regrets on that."
Delport's international ambitions would have seemed unlikely four years ago, when his domestic contract with the Dolphins franchise was not renewed due to what he labelled "administration problems". He played in a triangular A-team series in 2015 and represented the Emerging Players side earlier in his career, but admitted he was never more than a "fringe player".
"It was one of my goals when I was a youngster, to play for the Proteas," he said. "I had my opportunities in South Africa - I got contracted straight out of school in 2008 and played until 2016, but when I lost my Dolphins contract I pretty much had nothing to fall back on.
"That led to the route of playing in all these leagues, being in the top run-scorers in them, and that's definitely boosted my confidence. I'd definitely like to have a crack at it. I don't want an easy way in: I need to score the runs and put my performances in. But with the T20 World Cup being delayed, why not have a good go and put some pressure on the current squad members?"