Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the Cricket SA first-class final due to injury.
Bavuma was expected to feature for the Lions against the Titans in the domestic showpiece, starting at the Wanderers on Thursday.
The national captain has yet to play for the Lions in the first-class competition this season, despite the Proteas playing their last international match more than a month ago.
All the Proteas Test squad members not participating in the IPL have since played first-class cricket for their respective provincial unions.
Bavuma was part of the Lions’ squad for last week’s match against the Knights in Bloemfontein, but the match was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The official statement from Lions Cricket regarding Bavuma’s situation was that he “is apparently facing another fitness situation and is highly unlikely to play”.
Bavuma’s fitness issue, which has not been disclosed, seems to be a recent development for Lions captain Dominic Hendricks was still of the understanding that Bavuma would be part of the playing XI when he addressed the media at the captain’s pre-match briefing on Wednesday morning.
Asked how we would lead with Bavuma alongside him, Hendricks responded:
“We’ve actually worked well over the years, phenomenally well over the years. He’s been captain of this franchise for many seasons,” Hendricks said.
“So, essentially, I’ll just go about my stuff and then as we have over the years, if I see anything or he sees anything, we’ll generally share ideas and bounce ideas off each other.
“So, I think that’s a big thing. There’s not really a power struggle, if I could say that.
“If he’s got input, he’ll add it. And obviously, with the experience that he brings to the table at international level, that input surpasses my 100-odd games of first-class cricket.
“So, I’m always looking for a different eye or a different approach to things. So, yeah, quite keen to lean on him to hear what he has to say and see what input he can add to the game.”
Lions chief executive Jonno Leaf-Wright had also on Tuesday confirmed to Independent Media that Bavuma would be available to play in the final at the Wanderers.
The Lions are already without head coach Russell Domingo, who is in charge of the Lahore Qalandars at the Pakistan Super League.
