South African-born Dutch international Ryan ten Doeschate played a key part in helping the Volts win the HRV Cup and the thought he may miss out on playing in the Champions League (CLT20) for Otago is horrifying.
Fellow imports Brett Lee and James Fuller have already been ruled out. To lose ten Doeschate would be a further blow.
He was in exceptional form for Otago last season, scoring 401 runs at an average of 50.12.
The punishing right-hander is contracted to English side Essex, and the team is chasing promotion to the first division of the County Championship.
If Essex is still in the hunt by the time the CLT20 begins, it is very unlikely it will release the 33-year-old to play for the Volts.
If it is out of the running, then it is keen for ten Doeschate to chase glory with Otago in India later this month.
The problem is, Essex is on track to win its current match against Worcestershire. Worcestershire was dismissed for a paltry 102 and, at stumps on day one, Essex was 199 for four with ten Doeschate unbeaten on 16.
If Essex picks up maximum points in the first-class fixture, it will close the gap to second-placed Northants and keep its promotion prospects alive.
It plays Kent next week and ten Doeschate's availability will probably not become clear until the conclusion of that match on September 14.
Ten Doeschate has been named in the Otago squad but he can be replaced late in the piece. There is some flexibility around the deadline but the CLT20 hopes to have clarification a week before Otago's opening game on September 17 against the Faisalabad Wolves.
All-rounder Sam Wells is the backup, but Otago may gamble on ten Doeschate's availability and leave a decision to the last minute.
The Volts might even be prepared to play some games without their star in the hope he will be available should they progress to the group stage of the tournament.
