Giggsy wrote
Had this argument too many times with my English mates - yes, we have Tahir, the first in many years not locally born, but the 'English' have so many South Africans, an Irishman, and would poach the Scots too if they were any good (though I am sure they did have one...).
Mike Denness - who was captain. There may be others.
There was an interesting documentary during the lunchbreak on the last day I think it was about the 'foreign legion' of English players stretching back years. Apparently the requirements are being made more stringent - IIRC 7 years of citizenship before they are eligible to play - meaning that KP would have only started playing for them a few years back, Morgan would only be eligible now and Kieswetter would still be waiting. I know it will never change, but my stance on it is and always has been that you play for the country you were born in - in all sports - you didnt see England trying to get Best to play for them, even though he plied his trade in the country - same with Giggs. Morgan did play for Ireland in a WC didnt he? So if I am right, in cricket you can play for two different countries? i know in football that if you represent a counrty at full international level that is it - Giggs played for England U-17s I think it was.
But as Bob said - a slippery slope...
Well Strauss was born in SA, but there's considerably less talk about him and nationality because he left SA when he was a toddler, had British parents and was schooled and learned the game in England.
Douglas Jardine was born in India and disliked the idea that nationality was irrevocably linked to place of birth. He played against Australian players who were born in England and didn't consider them any more English and thus his countrymen than he considered himself Indian. Interestingly there was a ploy to get rid of Jardine after Bodyline by making him captain of India! As it was he lead an MCC team to India (in those days England were "England" at home and "MCC" on tour) and got into a scrap with the Viceroy over the amount of time taken to roll the pitch in between innings. Rules were rules, and Jardine wasn't going to turn a blind eye just because it was the Viceroy's turn to bat. Who did he think he was anyway? (The flames may have been fanned by Jardine being Winchester and Cambridge and the Viceroy being Eton and Oxford.)
In cricket the ICC does allow movement between countries. The rules are more relaxed for associate member countries (EG Canada, Netherlands) to allow them to get stronger. For full member countries I believe there has to be a 5-year gap between playing for one country's senior side and another's. Countries may specify a longer qualification period if they choose to.
This is not new, by the way. Billy Midwinter (who played against WG Grace) played 12 international matches - 4 for England and 8 for Australia when those were the only two countries playing international cricket. He played first for Oz, then for England, then for Oz again. I think he might have played against (or even with) Ranjitsinhji who was an Indian prince who played for England. John Traicos was born in Egypt, played for SA pre-1970 and then played for Zimbabwe after they returned to the fold in '92. Clarrie Grimmett, who played under Don Bradman, was born in New Zealand.
Many players have been eligible for more than one country. In recent times there was an Australian-born player turning out for England. Gordon Greendige could have played for England, but the West Indies picked him first. More recently there was Andrew Symonds who was born in England, raised in Australia, played first class cricket in both countries and when he was picked for England "A" declined the invitation and threw in his lot with Australia.
It's harder these days. As I've said, Pietersen could still play for SA, but the qualification period makes it unlikely.
