South African pacer Kagiso Rabada may land in trouble, despite his heroics in Adelaide

Reigning world champions Australia checked their pathetic run of late on Friday when they beat South Africa by 7 runs to square the three-match series 1-1. With this narrow loss in Adelaide, the Proteas became only the second team to be beaten by Australia in their dozen ODIs played this year. The decider will be played in Hobart on November 11.

However, more than the loss, South Africa could be in for a bigger trouble. Their most successful bowler in the game, Kagiso Rabada (4 for 54) gave Chris Lynn a verbal send-off during the game and the act could attract match referee Jeff Crowe’s wrath and might miss the next game as serving penalty.

Rabada could get banned for next game because of his conduct

The pacer was hit for a six and three fours off his first four balls in the innings’ 27th over and had Lynn caught behind after the ball nicked his gloves. Rabada was then seen shouting, apparently at the departing batsman. The bowler already has seven demerit points and the addition of one more will see him getting banned for either four limited-overs matches or two Tests, whichever is scheduled earlier.

It was also during South Africa’s ill-famous Test series against Australia at home earlier this year when Rabada had faced the law and needed help from top lawyer Dali Mpofu to escape a ban. It was during a match at the St George’s Park, Port Elizabeth, that Rabada had given a shoulder charge on now-banned Australian captain Steve Smith.

It was Jeff Crowe who was the match referee on that occasion too and he gave the 23-year-old bowler three demerit points, which translated into a suspension. But Rabada had his luck as his appeal was not heard by Crowe but judicial commissioner Michael Heron and his demerit point was reduced to one point, allowing him to continue playing. This time, Rabada might not see him as lucky for there would not be much time to appeal against a negative verdict from Crowe, before the decider.

South Africa won the first match in Perth by 6 wickets.

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