Fired- up Proteas ready for Aussies
Port Elizabeth, March 8: Warring South Africa and Australia were involved in peace talks ahead of the potentially explosive second Test starting on Friday after David Warner and Quinton de Kock were both punished for an ugly bustup in the opening match.
The International Cricket Council said that match referee Jeff Crowe will remind the teams of their responsiblities after Australian vice- captain Warner was fined 75 per cent of his match fee from the Durban game and the Proteas wicketkeeper/ batsman docked 25 per cent.
“Mr. Crowe has convened a meeting of the captains and managers of both sides tomorrow ( Thursday) at St George’s Park to outline his expectations relating to player behaviour during the second Test starting on Friday,” said an ICC statement.
Earlier Wednesday, South African coach Ottis Gibson called for umpires in the second Test to “do their job” and defended De Kock against allegations of provoking an altercation with Warner. Gibson also questioned what was meant in Australian assertions about not “crossing the line” with their behaviour.
Warner was cleared to play in the second Test but was fined 75 percent of his match fee and given three demerit points for an incident captured on closed circuit television as the players climbed the stairs towards the dressing rooms at the start of the tea interval on the fourth day of the first Test in Durban on Sunday. Warner, who was charged with a level two offence, will be banned if he gets one more demerit point within the next year.