Beyers Swanepoel, the South African all-rounder who left a domestic final mid-match, has been sacked by the team he walked out on.
Swanepoel had signed to play for Worcestershire this summer but, in the final 10 overs of the Lions’ one-day final against the Titans, he left the field and ground to go to the airport in Johannesburg and fly to England.
The 27-year-old’s team-mates and coaches did not know why he had left and were forced to complete the match with just 10 players. They lost by three wickets off the penultimate ball.
When the reason for his premature departure became clear, the Lions and Cricket South Africa immediately launched a disciplinary process and withheld his No-Objection Certificate (NOC) – the crucial piece of documentation a cricketer needs to play overseas – for his Worcestershire stint.
On Thursday, the Lions announced that Swanepoel’s contract had been terminated with immediate effect.
Swanepoel apologised for his actions and said: “First and foremost, I would like to thank Lions Cricket for the opportunity to represent the Union, I loved my season representing the Pride and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
“I sincerely apologise to the entire Lions family for what transpired in the final and can assure everyone that many lessons have been learnt.”
Swanepoel remains in England, but his immediate future with Worcestershire is unclear. He missed Worcestershire’s first game of the season, a draw at Derby, and does not have an NOC in time for Friday’s bucket-list trip to Lord’s to face Middlesex. The Pears were forced into signing Warwickshire’s Oliver Hannon-Dalby on loan to cover his absence.
Worcestershire are hopeful Swanepoel can play in their next match, on April 24, against Kent, but said in a statement: “The club remains in contact with the relevant parties regarding Beyers’ current status and any further regulatory requirements, including the No Objection Certificate (NOC) process with Cricket South Africa. At this stage, it would be premature to provide a definitive timeframe for Beyers joining the squad.” He was due to play for Worcestershire for the entire Championship season.
Lions CEO Jono Leaf-Wright said: “It has been an unfortunate period for all parties involved but we have now brought the matter to a close, allowing everyone to move forward. At Lions Cricket, we hold ourselves to the highest professional standards and take matters of this nature very seriously.”