Francois du Plessis was at school with fellow Pretorian AB De Villiers

Lancashire are working hard to bring back South African batsman Francois du Plessis to Old Trafford next season, despite a clampdown on Kolpak players.

Du Plessis, who has spent the last two summers at Old Trafford, has been threatened by the new Home Office laws limiting the use of Kolpak signings.

But Lancashire still hope to find a way to keep the 25-year-old on the staff.

"It's something we've just got to be patient with," Lancashire coach Peter Moores told BBC Radio Manchester."

Under the new rules, counties can keep only players who have played one Test match in the past two years or five Tests in the past five, or have held a valid UK work permit for four years.

Du Plessis has spent just two years in English county cricket as a Kolpak player and is yet to play for his country.

But Lancashire, who last week made a new Kolpak signing in West Indian Daren Powell, still have space on their staff for their one permitted overseas player.

And director of cricket Mike Watkinson is hoping to find a way of allowing the South African to return.

"Mike is dealing with the Francois du Plessis situation," said Moores. "And we're pushing hard to try to resolve that situation.

"Everybody who's watched Francois play knows he's an exciting cricketer. He's an emerging player.

"As a batsman he's getting better but also as a fielder and as a one-day player he's great to watch. So we'd love to get him back."

Du Plessis, who hit just 531 runs in 13 County Championship matches last summer, saved his best form for limited-overs cricket.

He finished third in the national Friends Provident Trophy averages by scoring 412 in 10 innings, including a stunning 113 not out to beat Essex in the quarter-final.

The man from Transvaal is currently playing back home in South Africa for Titans in the MTN Domestic Championship.

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