Arthur 'frustrated' by Trott as Richards hits out

London:

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur has revealed his frustration at the sight of Jonathan Trott playing cricket for England rather than the land of his birth. Middle-order batsman Trott, 28, came through the South African system and represented the Proteas in both the Under-15 and Under-19 World Cups.

And West Indies great Vivian Richards waded into the nationality row by insisting "you are English or South African, you can't be both".

Trott, a British passport holder courtesy of his English father, joined county side Warwickshire in 2002 and in August his century on Test debut helped England regain the Ashes at the Oval.

Now Trott is in the England squad on tour in South Africa and Arthur told the Wisden Cricketer magazine: "It does (frustrate) a little bit, to be honest.

"He wouldn't be in our top six at the moment because our line-up is settled and has a lot of steel but he'd be there or thereabouts. Hats off to him; he's gone away and forged a successful career for himself."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan recently queried Trott's loyalties after saying he'd been celebrating with South Africa following their series-clinching win at Edgbaston 15 months ago.

And with both Trott and South Africa born Kevin Pietersen set to occupy places in England's top four, the team's selection policy is in the spotlight once again, with the players accused of rejecting their homeland for financial gain and English officials of devaluing the meaning of international sport.

But there are those in South Africa, notably former all-rounder Clive Rice, who insist a quota policy designed to boost the prospects of non-white cricketers left the likes of Pietersen with little choice but to leave.

Richards, two of whose three Test match double centuries came in 1976 against an England side captained by South Africa born Tony Greig, told Thursday's Daily Mirror: "You can't have one foot in and one foot out.

"Either you are English or you're South African, you can't be both."

Critics point out that, unlike the apartheid era when South Africa was banned from international cricket, players from the Republic can now represent the Proteas in Tests - an opportunity denied the likes of Allan Lamb and Robin Smith, who both played for England instead, early in their careers.