S.Africa’s Rabada to learn ban appeal result by Wednesday

The hearing, via teleconference with judicial commissioner Michael Heron of New Zealand, lasted for more than five hours.

Cricket South Africa said the International Cricket Council would announce the outcome by Wednesday, the day before the start of the third Test against Australia. The series is currently 1-1.

Rabada, who has been highly influential in the two Tests so far, was given the ban for making physical contact with Australian captain Steve Smith during the second Test in Port Elizabeth.

Rabada’s brush with Smith led to him being given three demerit points which took him to the eight-point threshold that triggers an automatic two-Test ban.

South African captain Faf du Plessis attended the early part of the meeting before leaving to join the team but team manager Mohammed Moosajee and advocate Dali Mpofu remained with Rabada.

Australia’s tour has been marred by altercations on and off the field. In the first Test, the visitors’ vice-captain David Warner was involved in an altercation with South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock in a stairwell.

Former Australia fast bowler Brett Lee has told AFP that while he did not want to see behaviour “crossing the line”, emotion and aggression were part of the game.

“In all honesty… we don’t want robots on the field,” Lee said.