Rudolph wants to play for the Proteas again.

I doubt if England would have ever selected him though.

Rudolph Keen To Play For Proteas Again


March 17 2009


Rudolph - ready for South African return.










Jacques Rudolph has thrown down the gauntlet to South Africa's selectors by admitting that he is "ready to play international cricket" after returning to the Titans.

The Yorkshire batsman only recently signed for the Pretoria franchise and has set his sights on a return to the national set-up.

Now 27, the left-hander has come a long way since his move to England at the start of 2007 under the Kolpak ruling. He topped the batting averages at the Headingley-based club in the last two seasons and recently extended his deal with the white rose to 2011.

He feels he has learnt a lot from his time in Leeds and has come back better equipped, with all eyes on a Proteas return.

"I still have two years to serve in terms of my Yorkshire contract but long-term, my ambition is definitely to play for SA again," Rudolph told the Business Day newspaper.

"I feel I know my game far better now and I think the environment in South African cricket these days is much more geared to success.

"I have always felt that you should learn your game in first-class cricket. Test cricket is not the environment in which to still be finding out about your game.

"But that was pretty much the case with me."

Rudolph already has a respectable record for his country having made his debut in 2003.

He made 222 not out in his first innings against Bangladesh and has gone on to average 36.21 in 35 Tests.

But his memories are not all happy ones, with one of the worst coming against Australia during the 2005/06 tour Down Under, when he was selected to play in the team for a Test match in Sydney, only to be subsequently axed by then Cricket South Africa president Percy Sonn on racial grounds, with Justin Ontong filling his spot.

However, he has put all that behind him, saying: "I've had to endure a great deal in my cricket career but I feel I am older and wiser now and more ready to play international cricket than I was when I first was selected."

No 'doubt' about it Red, as he'd already represented SA.

When he originally left SA he said he was going to learn, and hoped to return to the SA team at some stage.

Personally, I think SA has better prospects than Rudolph atm

JKLever wrote:Personally, I think SA has better prospects than Rudolph atm

Hopefully, for Yorkshire's sake. Persisting with signing blurry Rana Naved as overseas means the batting ain't a great stable.

JKLever wrote:No 'doubt' about it Red, as he'd already represented SA.

He probably could have qualified for England in another 2 or 3 years. Wouldn't have wanted him though, don't think he's any better than the batsmen we've got.

beamer wrote:

JKLever wrote:No 'doubt' about it Red, as he'd already represented SA.

He probably could have qualified for England in another 2 or 3 years. Wouldn't have wanted him though, don't think he's any better than the batsmen we've got.

We have an unwritten rule though that we won't pick those who have played test cricket for someone else first. Can't remember where I heard it now, but recall some high up bod saying something on air once.

I've seen him. He looks class.

JKLever wrote:

beamer wrote:

JKLever wrote:No 'doubt' about it Red, as he'd already represented SA.

He probably could have qualified for England in another 2 or 3 years. Wouldn't have wanted him though, don't think he's any better than the batsmen we've got.

We have an unwritten rule though that we won't pick those who have played test cricket for someone else first. Can't remember where I heard it now, but recall some high up bod saying something on air once.

It's one thing the selectors saying that, if it's an unwritten rule I'm sure they will go against it one day when they are desperate. I've heard the likes of Stuart Law and Nic Pothas linked with England selection before, and look at the Pattinson selection which came out of nowhere, that's only one step away from picking someone who actually has international experience with another country.

Maybe.

But being linked with and chosen are 2 different things...

"Many are called ..."

(see the Difficult Trivia thread)

He's never said he wants to qualify for England. He enjoys playing for Yorkshire and gave up representing SA for a while while he played 1st class cricket here. He's earning a living the best way he can, while improving his game. He wasn't a certain pick for the SA test side at the time he joined Yorkshire, wouldn't most people do what they could to improve their prospects?

But his memories are not all happy ones, with one of the worst coming against Australia during the 2005/06 tour Down Under, when he was selected to play in the team for a Test match in Sydney, only to be subsequently axed by then Cricket South Africa president Percy Sonn on racial grounds, with Justin Ontong filling his spot.

That was actually 2001/02

eowyn wrote:He's never said he wants to qualify for England. He enjoys playing for Yorkshire and gave up representing SA for a while while he played 1st class cricket here. He's earning a living the best way he can, while improving his game. He wasn't a certain pick for the SA test side at the time he joined Yorkshire, wouldn't most people do what they could to improve their prospects?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/counties/yorkshire/7064062.stm

He never said it...

He played for Yorkshire because it payed better. Please don't give us this shite about it improving his game

Money can improve anybody's game.

Look at Kev's million from the Stanford game.

And Yorkshire signed him as Kolpak not, as they were bullshining, because he'd renounced SA and was thinking of qualifying for England, but because they wanted another overseas player and chose to exploit the system.

No!! Cynical comment, or what?

Ban Yorkshire

Ban offie pies.

I remember this batting line up.....

Myburgh - playing for Canterbury in New Zealand - probably will play for NZ
Rudolph - using Yorkshire as a finishing school - might get a go for SA
van Jaarsveld - at Kent, MVP 2008
McKenzie - after a spell at Somerset and Durham had a second coming and going from the SA Test side
Dros - gone
van Wyk - at Canterbury - could play for NZ