sport news Duanne Olivier on turning his back on South Africa in the hope of playing for ...

The past three weeks has given Duanne Olivier ample opportunity to combat the flak flying towards him for turning his back on a Test career in its prime. Now for the bombshell: he wants to resume it with England.

There have been plenty of South African cricketers quit their homeland for Kolpak contracts with English counties over the past couple of decades, of course. For the record, Olivier is the 43rd. But he is the first to be taken from the bosom of his country's Test team declaring a desire to pull on the three lions.

Indignation in his homeland, following his rejection of a two-year central contract from Cricket South Africa for one of three years in length in the Broad Acres, is about to get ramped up a notch or two.

South African fast bowler Duanne Olivier wants to play Test cricket for England

South African fast bowler Duanne Olivier wants to play Test cricket for England

Olivier has turned his back on South Africa after signing three-year Kolpak deal with Yorkshire

Olivier has turned his back on South Africa after signing three-year Kolpak deal with Yorkshire

Sportsmail broke the news of Yorkshire's pursuit of the 26-year-old Olivier last November and reported that the 33-time county champions remained confident of securing his signature even after his recall for South Africa the following month.

That confidence was not misplaced, which was all the more remarkable given that the fast bowler claimed 24 wickets, the man of the series award in a whitewashing of Pakistan, and was even thrust into the Proteas' white-ball plans at the start of a year that includes a World Cup, appearing twice in the one-day matches that followed.

And so, with a 10-Test career of 48 wickets in cold storage for now, he bowled his first deliveries as a Yorkshire player on Monday in a pre-season fixture versus Durham in Potchefstroom, 200 miles from his birthplace of Groblersdal.

Next week, accompanied by his wife Casey Leigh, he will arrive in Leeds to embark on a commitment to this country that he believes has the potential to see him represent the national team. To do so, he must build his future here and secure British citizenship, as his compatriot Wayne Madsen, the Derbyshire batsman and a former South African hockey international, did four years ago.

10-Test career of 48 wickets and man of the series accolade against Pakistan is in cold storage

10-Test career of 48 wickets and man of the series accolade against Pakistan is in cold storage

He rejected a two-year central contract from Cricket South Africa for one of three in Yorkshire

He rejected a two-year central contract from Cricket South Africa for one of three in Yorkshire

SO, HOW WILL HE QUALIFY? 

On January 1, the ECB reduced the qualification period required for players to switch allegiance from another Test nation from seven years, bringing them into line with the rest of cricket's international community. 

A player can be selected for England if they:

a) Hold British citizenship.

b) Were born in England or Wales, or have completed three years' residence (210 days per year, April-March).

c) Have not played as a local player in professional international or domestic cricket in a full member country within the last three years.

'I accept that my Test career is over for South Africa but if I do well, hopefully in the future, I can play for England. You always need to put your mind to certain goals,' he said.

'Maybe people will think it's unrealistic but for me, if I really do well, you never know. I can't tell you what will happen in the future. All I can do, as of now, is control what I am doing this season and give 100 per cent every game.

'I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and if you just concentrate on doing well that will take care of itself. I don't think too far ahead. Yes, it will be a goal to play for England one day and it would be amazing but for now my pure focus is on Yorkshire and just doing well for them.'

His salary at Headingley — of closer to £150,000

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