Cricinfo

Five-and-a-half years after Kolpak deal, hard-hitting No.3 is already making up for lost time.

In Rossouw's case, that means the World Cup later this year, and locking himself in at No. 3 after several years as one of the world's most prolific players in his role - a left-handed middle-order batter who can take down spin. He also managed to scoop a ball into his own throat while falling over towards the off side, and though he admitted to feeling "dizzy" during the post-match presentations, was cleared of concussion. As with most Kolpak players, the answer lies in the financial security that county cricket offered and the earning opportunities that presented themselves in the off-season while he might otherwise have been on national duty. He has been a regular at the BPL and PSL and after returning to South African domestic cricket, his runs for Multan Sultans and then Somerset this year were enough to force the selectors' hands. His 55-ball innings set up South Africa's 57-run win to square the series ahead of a decider at the Ageas Bowl on Sunday, and went a long way to securing him a spot on the plane to Australia for October's T20 World Cup. Rossouw's decision to sign a contract with Hampshire as a local player through the Kolpak loophole, thereby turning his back on South Africa, went down terribly.