South Africa’s Rabada banned from second England Test
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London: South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will miss next week’s second Test against England after his verbal abuse of Ben Stokes during the series opener at Lord’s, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.
Rabada, 22, uttered an audible obscenity after dismissing all-rounder Stokes on the first day of the first Test on Thursday, his latest offence triggering a one-Test ban.
‘South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada has been suspended for next week’s Trent Bridge Test after his accumulated demerit points reached four within a 24-month period following his latest breach of the ICC code of Conduct for which he received a 15 percent fine and one demerit point,’ said a statement issued by the global governing body.
The paceman will now play no part in the second Test of a four-match series at Nottingham’s Trent Bridge starting a week on Friday.
An ICC statement said Rabada had ‘used inappropriate language after dismissing England batsman Ben Stokes, which was audible over the stump microphones and also resulted in the batsman to turn before walking off the field’.
It added: ‘During the opening day’s play in the Lord’s Test against England on Thursday, Rabada was found guilty of ... ‘using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batsman upon his/her dismissal during an international match’.’