Swanepoel's Worcestershire NOC in doubt after leaving Lions in lurch

South African allrounder Beyers Swanepoel has put his No-Objection Certificate (NOC) to play county cricket at risk after leaving his domestic team without notice and during the one-day cup final. CSA is investigating the events of Sunday, with a decision expected in the next 48 hours*.

Swanepoel, who took 3 for 44 for the Lions against the Titans, walked off the field with eight overs to go to take a flight to the UK, where he is due to play for Worcestershire. The Lions had no knowledge of his plans and his NOC, which was only presented to officials last night, is currently unsigned.

"We are investigating the matter and following protocol as per NOC regulation. We will advise everyone accordingly on the way forward once the investigation is concluded within 48 hours," Eddie Khoza, CSA executive, domestic cricket, told ESPNcricinfo. The County Championship, in which Swanepoel is due to play for Worcestershire, begins on Friday.

It is understood that CSA and the South African Cricketers' Association are now in discussions about the best way to handle the situation. The Lions, meanwhile, are mulling terminating their contract with Swanepoel.

Swanepoel, who is uncapped internationally, signed a one-year red-ball contract with Worcestershire in December, having previously played for Kent. Worcestershire said that they were "aware of the reports" ahead of Swanepoel's arrival for the start of the Championship. "We are in the process of establishing the full facts and, while that is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment further," the club said in a statement.

However, the Lions had no knowledge of Swanepoel's deal until he left the field during the game. At the time, Swanepoel, who usually bowls at the death, had delivered his quota of 10 overs as the Lions looked to break a 78-run sixth-wicket partnership between Keegan Petersen and Duan Jansen. Swanepoel, who had helped reduce Titans to 121 for 5 chasing 249, was not able to remove either batter and subsequently left the field.

Initially, everyone involved in the game including the Lions players thought Swanepoel had picked up a niggle. The Lions even had a substitute fielder briefly replace him until a query from the Titans about Swanepoel's status determined that he had left the ground. By then, Swanepoel had gone to the dugout to say goodbye to some of his team-mates and headed to the airport to catch a 7.30pm flight out of Johannesburg. Once it had been ascertained that Swanepoel was not at the Wanderers, the Lions were denied a substitute fielder for the rest of the game as his absence was not caused by injury. They lost on the penultimate ball, with only 10 players on the field.

They will now investigate why Swanepoel did not communicate his plans prior to the match, which he would not have played had the Lions known his availability was in question. "I am extremely disappointed in Beyers. His actions go completely against the culture and values of the team which we have worked to build for the last six years," Jono Leaf-Wright, the Lions chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. "He has let the union and the fans down."

The Lions were already without regular coach Russell Domingo, who also left for the UK to take up a new role with Hampshire. Domingo, whose travel plans were clarified well in advance, will work for both the Lions and Hampshire for the next few years. Assistant coach Jimmy Kgamadi, batting coach Hashim Amla and bowling coach Allan Donald were all present in the Lions' support staff for the final. Though they lost the one-day cup, the Lions won the four-day first-class competition earlier in the summer.