In the Guardian Andy Bull defends England's South African imports a week after Michael Vaughan questioned Cape Town-born Johnathan Trott's loyalty. Bull argues that over 60 players born overseas have represented England and "the fact that selection is open to anyone who cares to qualify and merits a place ought to be a reason for celebration".

Some of those 60-plus players came to England when they could barely use a bat – Strauss and Prior among them. Others, like Pietersen and Trott, came later. All of them earned their place on merit. There is no need to mark a dividing line between those who arrived as children and those who made the decision later in life, just as there is no need to draw distinctions between players who have moved from Test-playing nations and those who haven't. The point is that they decided to come at all. That is sufficient commitment in itself. Regardless of where you are born, misty-eyed patriotism is not a prerequisite for selection.

There are plenty of better criteria to judge a cricketer on than his place of birth or where he went to school. The runs he scores and wickets he takes are just two of them.

	Feedback