LONDON: South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has had his two-Test ban overturned on appeal, meaning he will be available for the remainder of the series against Australia.
Rabada was banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the third and fourth Tests after being found guilty of two charges of misconduct for aggressive wicket celebrations in South Africa’s series-leveling victory in the second Test in Port Elizabeth.
The first charge, of deliberately bumping into Australia captain Steve Smith after getting him out in the first innings in Port Elizabeth, earned Rabada three disciplinary demerit points, taking him over a threshold and resulting in the ban.
Rabada and Cricket South Africa appealed that finding on the basis that he did not deliberately bump into Smith. The appeal was upheld after an independent judicial hearing in Cape Town on Monday.
“The key issue is whether Mr. Rabada made ‘inappropriate and deliberate physical contact’ with Mr. Smith,” said judicial officer Mike Heron, who heard the appeal. “I am not ‘comfortably satisfied’ that Mr. Rabada intended to make contact and I therefore find him not guilty.”
For the Smith incident, Rabada was found guilty on a lesser charge but the punishment did not constitute a ban. He had already pleaded guilty to a second charge in Port Elizabeth, of shouting in Australia batsman David Warner’s face when he got him out. That also did not constitute enough demerit points for a ban.
The decision to drop the two-Test ban is a major boost for South Africa ahead of the third clash in Cape Town starting tomorrow. Rabada is ranked the No.1 bowler in Tests and is the spearhead of the home team’s bowling attack.
The series is level at 1-1 with tests in Cape Town and Johannesburg to come, with South Africa seeking a first home series win over Australia since the end of apartheid.
South Africa's Kagiso Rabada available for rest of Australia series after ban overturned
South Africa's Kagiso Rabada available for rest of Australia series after ban overturned
Scotland shake up team for Six Nations opener
- Kinghorn is replaced by Tom Jordan at fullback for their opening match of the tournament
- Townsend selected Jamie Dobie, who also plays at scrum-half, and Kyle Steyn on the wings instead
EDINBURGH: Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has shaken up his starting line-up to take on Italy in the Six Nations in Rome on Saturday, leaving out regular fullback Blair Kinghorn and their two top try scorers when he named the team on Thursday.
Kinghorn is replaced by Tom Jordan at fullback for their opening match of the tournament, while Darcy Graham was relegated to the bench and Duhan van der Merwe left out.
Van der Merwe has a record 35 tries for Scotland, with Graham one behind him, but Townsend selected Jamie Dobie, who also plays at scrum-half, and Kyle Steyn on the wings instead. Left wing Dobie gets his first Six Nations start.
“Blair, Duhan and Darcy have had some terrific games for us and they’re very proud of playing for Scotland,” Townsend said at a press conference.
“But there’s competition in that back-three area like there is in other positions and we feel Jamie, Kyle and Tom deserve their starts given how well they’ve been playing.
Townsend praised the three who were dropped as “quality players.”
“If or when they get back into the squad or they get an opportunity off the bench, like Darcy will on Saturday, we know we’re going to have hungry players desperate to get back in the starting team,” the Scotland coach added.
“But for now, we’re really pleased with that back three, how they’ve been playing but also how they’ve been combining in training.”
The injured trio of Ewan Ashman, Jack Dempsey, and Jamie Dobie have all recovered in time to make the line-up after being injury doubts last weekend.
Huw Jones, who played for the British & Irish Lions in Australia last year, is returning to the Scotland set-up after missing the November tests as he recovered from surgery on his Achilles tendon. He will partner captain Sione Tuipulotu in what will be the 18th test match the pair have played together, including for the Lions.
There is also a return for prop forward Zander Fagerson while Scott Cummings, who missed last year’s championship through injury, returns to Six Nations action alongside Grant Gilchrist in the second row.
Nine of the players in the starting line-up come from Glasgow Warriors with another five on the bench, reflecting the stellar season Scotland’s top team are having.
Team: 15-Tom Jordan, 14-Kyle Steyn, 13-Huw Jones, 12-Sione Tuipulotu (captain), 11-Jamie Dobie, 10-Finn Russell, 9-Ben White, 8-Jack Dempsey, 7-Rory Darge, 6-Matt Fagerson, 5-Grant Gilchrist, 4-Scott Cummings, 3-Zander Fagerson, 2-Ewan Ashman, 1-Pierre Schoeman
Replacements: 16-George Turner, 17-Nathan McBeth, 18-Elliot Millar Mills, 19-Max Williamson, 20-Gregor Brown, 21-George Horne, 22-Adam Hastings, 23-Darcy Graham.
