South Africa opt to appeal Rabada ban

The Kagiso Rabada suspension saga is set to continue after the International Cricket Council today confirmed the paceman is appealing his two-Test ban for coming into contact with Australia captain Steve Smith.

In the wake of Rabada taking 11-150 in South Africa’s six-wicket win in Port Elizabeth on Monday, Rabada was suspended for two matches after match referee Jeff Crowe charged the fast bowler for a Level 2 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct.

Rabada was fined 50 per cent of his match fee and had three demerit points added to his disciplinary record, taking his total to eight, which equates to a two-Test suspension.

The ICC now has 48 hours to appoint a Judicial Commissioner and once that appointment has been made a hearing will be held within seven days. 

Rabada will remain suspended for the Cape Town Test, which starts next Thursday, unless the appointed Judicial Commissioner can find a satisfactory reason to allow the 22-year-old to play.

The paceman admitted after play on Monday he’s let his team down for his brush Smith on day one of the second Test after taking the touring captain’s wicket.

But the fiery quick says he will not change the way he expresses himself on the field despite being fined 65 per cent of his match fee and handed four demerit points for two separate incidents at St George’s Park. 

Rabada was named player of the match in PE, but unfortunately most of the focus on the boom speedster was about his actions without a ball in his hands. 

“I’ve let myself and the team down,” Rabada told reporters after play on Monday. 

“But I have to move forward and I have to see, if I do get banned, then I 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.”

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Australia won by 118 runs. Scorecard

Second Test South Africa won by six wickets. Scorecard

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage