Rabada gets two-Test ban after starring in S Africa win

South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada was yesterday banned for the two remaining Tests against Australia — and admitted that he would have to change how he celebrates wickets. Rabada was found guilty of “inappropriate and deliberate physical contact” with Australian captain Steve Smith after dismissing Smith in the first innings.The setback came minutes after Rabada had put aside his disciplinary concerns to set up a series-levelling win for South Africa on the fourth day of the second Test against Australia at St George’s Park. South Africa won by six wickets after Rabada’s fast bowling ensured they needed to chase a modest 101 runs for victory.He was fined 50% of his match fee and issued three demerit points after a disciplinary hearing following his denial of the charge. That took his total of points after three previous offences to eight and triggered an automatic two-Test ban. “It’s going to have to stop,” he said. “I’m letting the team down and letting myself down.”Cricket South Africa (CSA) immediately announced they had 48 hours to appeal the decision and were seeking legal opinion. CSA said Rabada would remain suspended unless a judicial commissioner was appointed early and allowed him to play pending a final decision. Rabada accepted a second charge after a send-off of David Warner in the second innings and received a further fine of 15% of his match fee and an additional demerit point. Match referee Jeff Crowe said: “I found that there was contact between Rabada and Smith, and in my judgement the contact by Rabada was inappropriate, and deliberate. He had the opportunity to avoid the contact, and I could not see any evidence to support the argument that the contact was accidental. “It is also disappointing that this has happened the day after the pre-match meeting I had with both teams, where the importance of respect for opponents was highlighted.”Rabada said he would need to avoid getting into close proximity with opponents. “I won’t change the way I express myself but I will get far away from the batter,” he said. Rabada said he had contested the charge on the Smith incident because he believed he had not made deliberate contact with Smith’s shoulder, which his captain Faf du Plessis described as “a shirt flick.” “If I knew I did it deliberately I wouldn’t have contested it,” said Rabada. “Honestly, I didn’t feel contact in that moment. I was just so pumped up.”Rabada said it was different from the case against him when he gave Ben Stokes of England a send-off in a Test at Lord’s last year, which resulted in a single demerit point which added to a previous three points ruled him out of the next Test.“With the Stokes incident I didn’t contest it because I knew I did it,” he said. He described his emotions as “bittersweet” after one of his best Test matches. “I would have loved to be playing in the next game, especially coming off a performance like that. I felt really good in this Test match.“I will have to see it as a big learning curve and not repeat the same mistake because I’ve repeated the same mistake in the eyes of the umpires. I’m not happy about it.” The ICC also announced a 20% fine and one demerit point for Australia’s Mitchell Marsh, who accepted a charge of using “obscene or offensive language” after being dismissed by Rabada yesterday.Meanwhile, South Africa lost four wickets before Theunis de Bruyn hit the winning runs. AB de Villiers, whose 126 not out enabled South Africa to lead by 139 runs on the first innings, hit a quick 28 off 26 balls before he was caught at short leg off Nathan Lyon with 20 runs still needed. Rabada took the first three of the five Australian wickets that fell for the addition of 59 runs yesterday. He had match figures of 11 for 150 — the fourth time in his 28-Test career that he had ten or more wickets in a match.Rabada struck in the first over of the morning when he bowled Mitchell Marsh for 45 with a ball which swung in sharply. Pat Cummins fell to a sharp catch at gully by Theunis de Bruyn and Mitchell Starc edged a drive to wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock.Lyon was caught behind off Lungi Ngidi and last man Josh Hazlewood hit a quick 17 before being caught in the deep off left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj. Tim Paine was left unbeaten on 28. Lyon was brought on for the last over before lunch and with his first ball caught Dean Elgar off a leading edge as the left-handed batsman stretched forward. It was a near-replica of Elgar’s dismissal to the off-spinner in the first innings of the first Test in Durban.Aiden Markram had an escape in the second over of South Africa’s chase. With his score on six he was dropped at first slip by Mitchell Marsh off Hazlewood. Markram made 21 before he was caught by Smith at second slip off Hazlewood. Hashim Amla and De Villiers added 49 before both were dismissed with the total on 81. Amla was caught behind off Pat Cummins for 27 and De Villiers fell to Lyon three balls later. ScoreboardAustralia I innings 243South Africa I innings 382Australia II innings (o/n: 180-5)M. Marsh b Rabada       45T. Paine not out       28P. Cummins c De Bruyn b Rabada       5M. Starc c De Kock b Rabada       1N. Lyon c De Kock b Ngidi       5J. Hazlewood c Ngidi b Maharaj       17Extras (b2, lb10, w2)       14Total (79 overs)       239Fall of wickets: 1-27 (Warner), 2-62 (Bancroft), 3-77 (Smith), 4-86 (S. Marsh), 5-173 (Khawaja), 6-186 (M. Marsh), 7-202 (Cummins), 8-204 (Starc), 9-211 (Lyon)Bowling: Philander 18-5-56-0, rabada 22-9-54-6 (1w), Maharaj 23-2-90-2, Ngidi 13-5-24-2, Markram 3-1-3-0South Africa II inningsA. Markram c Smith b Hazlewood       21D. Elgar c and b Lyon       5H. Amla c Paine b Cummins       27A. de Villiers c Bancroft b Lyon 2      8F. du Plessis not out       2T. de Bruyn not out       15Extras (b4)       4Total (4 wkts, 22.5 overs)       102Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Elgar), 2-32 (Markram), 3-81 (Amla), 4-81 (De Villiers)Bowling: Starc 3-0-15-0, Hazlewood 6-0-26-1, Lyon 9-0-44-2, Cummins 4.5-0-13-1Result: South Africa won by six wickets.Series: The four-match series is level at 1-1.Remaining matches:Second Test: March 22-26, Cape TownThird Test: March 30-April 3, Johannesburg