‘Exuberant’ Rabada to keep his cool after escaping ban

South Africa coach Ottis Gibson expects Kagiso Rabada to rise above any Australian attempts to bait him in the third cricket test.

Rabada’s two-test suspension, resulting from a physical send-off in which he brushed the shoulder of Australia captain Steve Smith in Port Elizabeth, has been overturned on appeal.

It means the world’s top-ranked bowler, fresh from man-of-thematch honours in the second test, will be steaming in during the match that starts in Cape Town tonight. Rabada, however, is on his final warning.

The 22-year-old’s poor disciplinary record now stands at seven demerit points. Another misdeed, no matter how minor, will trigger a two-test ban.

Smith last month floated the idea of trying to provoke Rabada and it wouldn’t be a major surprise if the tourists adopt that tactic at Newlands.

‘‘I don’t think so. They might do but he’s a smart kid and I’m sure he’s learnt his lesson from what happened last week,’’ Gibson said.

‘‘I don’t expect that he will make the same mistake again. He’s not badly behaved, he’s just very excited and exuberant sometimes.

‘‘In all the stuff that he did there was no aggressive intent, other than celebrating a wicket, but we’ve made him aware of the batsman’s space and where his space needs to be.’’

Rabada has now been booked for five separate incidents during the past 13 months.

Gibson insisted the express paceman would be in a good mental state when the series continues, pointing to how desperate he was to train on Monday after a six-hour hearing. ‘‘He’s a strong character,’’ he said.

Australian spinner Nathan Lyon said: ‘‘We were preparing for him to play. We want to play against the best players in the world.

‘‘We respect the ICC’s decision,’’ Lyon said.

It’s not for me to sit here and say it’s right or wrong.’’