Morkel fears Kolpak exodus after Olivier departure

Morne Morkel says Kolpak exits paint "a bad picture of cricket in South Africa" and it is down to the national governing body to act.

Former South Africa quick Morne Morkel

Morne Morkel fears many more players will turn their back on South Africa and sign Kolpak deals after Duanne Olivier joined Yorkshire.

Olivier has made a big impact for the Proteas after forcing his way back into the Test side late last year and was handed a one-day international debut against Pakistan last month.

The seamer this week dealt a blow to South Africa by calling time on his international career to take up a three-year contract with Yorkshire just two years after Kyle Abbott and Rilee Rossouw signed Kolpak deals with Hampshire.

Morkel - who joined Surrey after ending his South Africa career - is concerned others will follow suit unless Cricket South Africa [CSA] act to prevent an exodus.

RELATED | Olivier's Kolpak deal 'not good news for the global game', says CSA

The former South Africa paceman told cricket.com.au: "They [CSA] have to sit down and come up with plans because they're going to lose a lot of players in the near future and they need to protect against that.

"Do you structure the contracting a little bit better? What security do you give the guys [for] life after cricket? You talk about investing, but once a guy retires, they sort of drift away. I can name a number of players who they have invested a lot of money in, but you don't see them coaching, you don't see them involved with our academies.

"Give those guys a platform and say, 'We've invested in you for so many years, when you're thinking of settling down or moving on, this is where we see a role for you'.

"I think that communication is not great at the moment so that's something they can improve on.

RELATED | Olivier quits South Africa to sign Yorkshire Kolpak deal

"I was settled in the team so, for me, it was easier to put offers aside and focus on playing with South Africa.

"It's harder for those guys who are in and out of the team. If the communication channels aren't great and you're not sure where you fit in, that's where the biggest challenge comes in. Communication is the key in any business.

"It's never nice…it always paints a bad picture of cricket in South Africa. But that's unfortunately part of our DNA and the struggles we have in South Africa."