Duanne Olivier is hoping to return to South African domestic cricket as a local player this winter.
The Yorkshire fast bowler has not played a domestic first-class fixture in his homeland since December 2018, approximately three months before signing with the White Rose county.
Any game time would boost the 28-year-old’s preparations for the 2021 county summer in England.
“I’ll be trying to see if I can play some domestic cricket back home from the New Year onwards as part of my preparation for the (county) season forthcoming,” he confirmed.
“I assume there will be a couple of four-day games that I can play.”
Olivier has played in the T20 Mzansi Super League for the last two winters, but as an overseas player.
That is because his status as a Kolpak player in England meant he could not be classed as a local player in South Africa.
But he has not been playing any four-day cricket, with franchises not employing overseas players.
However, things are about to change with Brexit. From 2021, there will be no Kolpak players in county cricket, with Olivier’s status switching to overseas. That means he would be a local player in South Africa again.
Olivier claimed 15 wickets in seven appearances in the Bob Willis Trophy and the Vitality Blast during the shortened 2020 county season.
That haul included five wickets in the second round Bob Willis win against Notts at Trent Bridge in early August, an impressive first game of the season.
It came on the back of a disrupted build-up to action having spent lockdown in South Africa, meaning he had to quarantine for a week upon his return to England.
In two seasons with Yorkshire, Olivier has taken 70 wickets, including 57 in 18 first-class matches.
And he is confident there is more to come in 2021.
“To be honest, I learned a lot from last year (2019),” he said.
“I was pleased with my performance this season overall, and I just tried to keep things as simple as possible, whereas last year I got into a bit of a panic.
“Although lockdown in South Africa was quite strict, and it would have been ideal if I’d had a bit more preparation, I felt more relaxed this year and just tried to keep things as simple as possible.
“It’s getting there. It’s a work in progress.”
Not only has Olivier got confidence in himself moving forwards, he is also backing his team-mates to be better for this summer’s experiences, which included them topping the Bob Willis North Group table with three wins and two draws.
“I’m looking forward to next season,” he added.
“It was really good this year to see young lads come in and cope under pressure, which is something you always want to see as a club.
“In two or three years’ time, they might be the main guys, and they will understand their games a lot better and know what to expect.
“What I like about our team is that it’s not just one or two people contributing, it’s the whole team.”
