Du Plooy To Leave Middlesex At End Of Season To Pursue South Africa Ambitions

By Pramit Meher

**Du Plooy to quit Middlesex, chase SA dream** Middlesex captain Leus du Plooy will leave the county at the end of the 2026 season to recommit to South Africa in a bid to revive his international career, the club confirmed Sat. The LHB Bat's original deal ran to 2027 as a local player, but switching back to his birth country makes him an overseas player, so the existing contract is void. **The numbers (FC for Middlesex):** 2,795 runs in 38 appearances, avg 51.75, 7 tons, c/b 263* v Gloucestershire at Lord's in 2025. Took over captcy in Jun 2025, got county cap May 2026. Du Plooy, 31, joined from Derbyshire before the 2024 season. > "An opportunity has arisen for me to explore representing South Africa... I owe it to myself to see where it might lead." — Du Plooy **Middlesex DoC Alan Coleman:** disappointed by the departure but backing his international goals. "To average over 50 in First Class for the club marks him as one of our finest. He'll always be welcome back as an overseas player." Interesting case from a workload/viewpoint angle — a 31-yr-old in his prime leaning into a national selection battle while walking away from a stable county gig. Worth watching how his batting workload is managed if he does get the SA call-up. *Source: IANS* Source: Cricketnmore