South Africa Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has been suspended for South Africa’s next two Test matches after being found guilty of a Level 2 ICC Code of Conduct offence of ‘inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player’.
“He has received a fine of 50 per cent of his match fee and three demerit points after a disciplinary hearing following his denial of the charge,” ICC said in a release.
“This means Rabada has accumulated eight demerit points within a 24-month period automatically leading to a two-match suspension. The incident happened in the 52nd over of Australia’s first innings of the second Test, when moving towards the slips, Rabada made contact with Steve Smith with his shoulder,” the release said.
Meanwhile, Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has also been fined 20 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for a level 1 offence under 2.1.4 of the Code which pertains to “using language or gesture that is obscene, offensive or insulting during an International Match.” Marsh accepted the charge and no formal hearing was needed.
Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees said: “I found that there was contact between Rabada and Smith, and in my judgement, the contact by Rabada was inappropriate and deliberate. He had the opportunity to avoid the contact, and I could not see any evidence to support the argument that the contact was accidental.”
