Sunday Tribune

Rabada likely to challenge disciplina­ry charge

- ZAAHIER ADAMS

SOUTH African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been reported for a Level 2 offence by the on-field umpires for making contact with Steve Smith’s shoulder on Friday in the second Test at St George’s Park.

The incident occurred when Rabada trapped Smith lbw shortly before the tea interval. After being given out by on-field umpire Kumar Dharmasena, Smith reviewed the decision.

However, during his follow-through and celebratio­n, Rabada’s shoulder made contact with that of the Australian captain.

It is expected that Rabada will challenge the Level 2 charge with a meeting set to be held today to interpret whether it was intentiona­l or not.

The outcome is crucially important to South Africa for should the charge be upheld against Rabada, the paceman will beruled out of the remainder of the series. Rabada took 5-96 in Australia’s first innings and struck a valuable 29 as nightwatch­man on yesterday.

The 22-year-old currently has five demerit points to his name and another three will see him sit out two Tests; a tally of eight demerit points within a 24-month period attracts such a penalty as per ICC rules.

Rabada’s incident is the latest in what it turning out to be an ill-tempered series.

Australian spinner Nathan Lyon was fined 15% of his match fee and received one demerit point for dropping a ball close to AB de Villiers when he was run out in Durban, while David Warner was fined 75% of his match fee and earned three demerit points for his role in the Kingsmead stairwell saga.

South Africa’s Quinton de Kock was fined 25% of his match fee and earned one demerit point for his part in the same.

Rabada’s record dates back to February last year, when he picked up three demerit points and a 50% match fee fine after a shoulder shove to Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella in an ODI.

This was increased to four points when Rabada gave England all-rounder Ben Stokes a foul-mouthed send-off in the first Test at Lord’s. As a result, Rabada was banned for the second Test at Trent Bridge due to him collecting four demerit points.

Each demerit point stays on a player’s record for a period of 24 months, staying active even after the four-point threshold is broken, which meant Rabada earned a fifth demerit point when he also gave India batsman Shikhar Dhawan a send-off during an ODI at St George’s Park last month.

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