The curious case of Beyers Swanepoel took another twist when Worcestershire were forced to make a loan signing because Cricket South Africa (CSA) blocked the wandering all-rounder from playing in the Championship.
South African Swanepoel, 27, was so eager to arrive at New Road for his Championship stint that he walked out on a One-Day final for his home franchise, the Lions, in order to catch his flight, with seven overs remaining.
His team-mates were unaware where he was going, and were forced to complete the match with 10 men on the field. They duly lost off the penultimate ball, and the franchise and CSA took such a dim view that they have withheld his No-Objection Certificate, the document that allows a cricketer to play overseas.
Having breached his contract, he has also been charged with bringing the game into disrepute, so faces two separate disciplinary processes. He is not expected to dispute either charge.
This left Worcestershire in a bind. The player has remained with the squad, but is barred from playing as he goes through the disciplinary process. Speaking to the BBC earlier this week, the Worcestershire chief executive, Ashley Giles, said: “Beyers would probably say he’s made a bit of an error in hindsight.”
The Pears have therefore signed Warwickshire stalwart Oliver Hannon-Dalby to replace him on loan, initially for two weeks, starting with Friday’s season opener at Derby. Head coach Alan Richardson admitted that “the circumstances surrounding this move are not ideal”.