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 his 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 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.

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.”