Rabada to learn ICC fate on day two

South Africa will find out on Saturday morning whether Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada will be charged by match referee Jeff Crowe for his nudge on Australia captain Steve Smith on day one in Port Elizabeth.

After taking the wicket of Smith lbw for 25 after lunch, Rabada brushed shoulders with the batsman as he moved to celebrate with his jubilant teammates who were stationed behind the wicket.

The contact drew an immediate response from Smith, who wheeled around to look at Rabada before consulting with non-striker Shaun Marsh about reviewing his dismissal.

While the moment might seem minor on the surface, Rabada has five demerit points on his disciplinary record and the brush with Smith could take him to eight and a two Test suspension if history is anything to go by.

Rabada was hit with a 50 per cent fine of his match fee and handed three demerit points for jostling with Sri Lanka batsman Niroshan Dickwella in an ODI in February last year. 

Should the 22-year-old be charged with a Level 2 breach of the ICC code of conduct – like he was in the Dickwella incident – he will be have between 3-4 demerit points added to his record and be ruled out of the remainder of the Test series. 

The brush with Smith was after the first of a five-wicket burst from the right-armer, who captured 5-13 in 18 balls to rip the heart out of the Australia middle order either side of tea at St George’s Park.

Should Rabada, who has the best strike-rate (39.7) of any bowler with at least 100 wickets in the past 122 years, be rubbed out, new-ball partner Vernon Philander says he would leave a “massive hole” in the Proteas XI.

“He’s a big part of this bowling line up,” Philander said. 

“Let’s hope that’s not the case and we’ll have a four-pronged attack come Cape Town.”

Former Proteas captain Graeme Smith says Rabada’s actions were “silly” given the potential threat of suspension that hangs over his head.

“It’s a difficult one,” Smith told cricket.com.au in Port Elizabeth. 

“Obviously, we know any kind of physical contact is not on in the game. 

“It looked like they were walking in the same direction. 

“From a series perspective, you hope he doesn’t get a ban, you want to see the best players playing against the best players but it is silly.”

Smith said he was unsure if the light contact would see Rabada charged.

“We’ve seen so many different things of late,” he said. “Some guys get banned for one thing, other guys getting away with it. 

“You really just never know. It’s a difficult one to call.”

Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon, who was fined 15 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for his celebration of AB de Villiers’ second-innings wicket in Durban, said he had complete faith in the match officials when it comes to reporting incidents on the field.

“I've got a lot of faith and a lot of respect for the umpires and the match referees,” Lyon said. 

“No doubt they can deal with all that stuff, they did last week.

“I've got full respect for those guys and no doubt they'll make the decision they think is worthy.”

The umpires have copped some criticism from South Africa for their lack of involvement in the David Warner-Quinton de Kock stairwell scuffle in Durban last week.

South Africa said they want to see the umpires prevent those incidents from happening by nipping them in the bud before something like the stairwell stoush takes place.

Philander said after play on Friday the umpires were more active out in the middle.

“After the last game (in Durban) it was always going to be a bit sensitive,” Philander said. 

“I think the umpires were always going to be trying into the game, trying to find out what’s going on. 

“They’re within their right to try and kill some bug or virus from spreading quickly.”

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock, Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Australia won by 118 runs. Scorecard

Second Test St George's Park, Port Elizabeth, March 9-13. Live coverage

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage