Somerset cancel Vernon Philander’s contract
Somerset has announced that the club’s contract with Vernon Philander has been terminated by mutual consent.
After announcing his retirement from international cricket, Philander, who played his final test game for South Africa against England in January, signed a two-year contract with the county on a Kolpak registration.
All current Kolpak registrations will be terminated on December 31 this year, but the PCA has lobbied the ECB to raise the number of overseas players allowed in the County Championship and One-Day Cup from one to two, which means Philander may have stayed on as an overseas player.
Due to Covid-19 pandemic, all professional cricket in England and Wales was suspended until July 1. Somerset, like most of the counties, has furloughed their players, and most of their non-playing staff.
In a press release, Somerset did not promise to re-signing Philander for 2021, bu the club’s cricket director Andy Hurry, left the possibility open.
Hurry mentioned, “For all counties with no cricket until at least July 1 and the possibility of a shortened and truncated season, these are obviously very unpredictable and difficult times.” He told the media, “Visualizing Vernon returning to Cooper Associates County Ground was such an exciting possibility, but due to the present uncertainty it was a wise and sensible decision to cancel his deal. I would like to thank Vernon and his team for their understanding, and one day we expect to see Vernon wearing Somerset colors.
Philander became the first non-Overseas player to have his contract terminated after a series of counties confirmed that their international signing will not join them as scheduled. Other non-Overseas players who are currently away from UK, including Mark Cosgrove, David Wiese and Stiaan van Zyl, and three coaches – Dave Houghton (Derbyshire), Michael di Venuto (Surrey) and Jason Gillespie (Sussex) – are stay at home with their families in overseas.
