Kagiso Rabada found guilty for breaching ICC Code of Conduct; suspended for two Tests

South Africa have been dealt a colossal blow with Kagiso Rabada suspended for the final two matches of the ongoing Test series against Australia. Rabada was found guilty of deliberately making inappropriate contact with Australia captain Steve Smith on Day 1 of the second Test match in Port Elizabeth. 

Having been charged with a Level 2 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct, the 22-year-old was fined 50 percent of his match fee and handed three demerit points to take his total to eight, which equates to a two-Test ban. 

Rabada was copped with another ‘disciplinary’ blow as he followed up his ‘avoidable contact’ with Smith by screaming in the face of David Warner after castling the Australia vice-captain on Day 3 of the same Test match. His send-off has seen him hit with a Level 1 offence, a 15 percent fine of his match fee and an additional demerit point, taking his total to nine. 

Jeff Crowe of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees said that he found Rabada’s shoulder contact inappropriate and did not find any evidence that the contact was accidental. 

“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,” Jeff Crowe revealed in a ICC press release.

“It is also disappointing that this has happened the day after the pre-match meeting I had with both teams, where the importance of respect for opponents was highlighted.” 

Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh has also been fined 20 percent 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.

The charges against Rabada and Marsh were leveled by on-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Kumar Dharmasena, third umpire Sundaram Ravi and fourth umpire Bongani Jele.