Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

Rabada's suspension has been rescinded and he can play in the Third Test in Cape Town on Thursday.

SA getting the lawyers involved again.

The ICC's Dave Richardson commented in words:

This is perhaps an opportune moment to remind all players of their responsibilities to maintaining a standard of behaviour which sets a good example to players at all levels of the game, especially the young players. We want to see the game played with skill, passion and respect for the opposition, the match officials and the laws.

While his actions did exactly the opposite.

I thought of Rabada as a thrilling and charismatic new genuinely fast pace bowler when he emerged, a future superstar of SAn cricket. There seems to be a likelihood that he will be remembered (by me) as just another bully with a weapon in his hand. There's plenty of time for him to turn this around and some do (Simon Jones). But maybe like Anderson or McGrath or Merv Hughes, I'll remember him as an **** first and foremost.

TBH Rabada is ok on the field he doesn’t really sledge or go aggressive unlike let say anderson or the others if anything he celebrates too much when he takes a wicket doesn’t really do much other then that.

Well that's a precedent set.

Great for the series that he continues to be involved in the series.

Shocking for cricket as a whole. SA bring the lawyers.... cricket crumbles.

Am I to conclude that the ICC player conduct initiative is another interjection into the game thats been a resounding success

yuppie wrote:Well that's a precedent set.

Great for the series that he continues to be involved in the series.

Shocking for cricket as a whole. SA bring the lawyers.... cricket crumbles.

Couldn't agree more.

Nothing wrong with bringing in the lawyer. We are dealing with ICC laws after all. The spirit of cricket went out the window when teams deliberately tried to provoke players with a view to getting them banned.

Good to see common sense has prevailed. Test cricket should be about the best players playing. If Australia want a series win without an asterisk beside it they will want to beat a south Africa team with Rabada in the line up.

Rabada needs to look at this as a second chance and ignore the baiting that comes his way.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... t-reactive

Prior to the South Africa series, the Australian team was reported as saying they might bait Rabada. At the time he was close to the required number of demerit points for suspension, and Australia's comments should have immediately raised the antennae of the match officials. Why the captains and coaches of both sides weren't immediately warned against that course of action is beyond belief.

Then South Africa reacted in a similar vein when David Warner reached a critical point on the demerit scale after his altercation with Quinton de Kock. On that occasion the riot act was read to both teams, but why aren't the officials proactive instead of reactive?

Can't agree with that Mike. Clearly there has to be a cut off point where unacceptable behaviour begins. Not everything is permissible.

I also disagree with that Mike.

Im sure your opinion would have been different if Warner and Australia had got the lawyers involved.

Everyone wants to see the best cricketers play the game, but that does not mean they can have a free reign on how they act. Radaba has continually flouted the rules, a line was drawn under that, but lawyers have got him off the hook. Now the precedent has been set and that will mean that players will push the boundaries even further. Perhaps we will see the days again when quick bowlers will kick stumps and shoulder barge umpires.

I take a dim view of the apparent Australian plan to bait Rabada ; but I'm not sure that had too much to do with his OTT send off actions ...he already has form for similar behavior.

Agree with others above in that I'm happy to see all the stars playing in these remaining matches - but not so pleased to see the judicial system seemingly tweaked under pressure because of the high stakes. Bit of an awkward precedent , I fear.

When Rabada - inevitably - offends again and gets his two match ban against Bangladesh the whole thing might be seen to ave worked out quite well for SA .
Or , less cynically , perhaps he will learn his lesson . Hope so : too good a bowler to spoil it with silly antics.

Theunis de bruyne out. Bavuma in.

Ngidi out. Morkel gets a chance to say farewell.

Rabada stays of course.

Markham out to Hazelwood for a duck!

Good recovery. 75-1 at lunch.

Average rpw in Cape Town this decade is 41, so a decent bat first ground. Stokes got his 258 there two years ago.

Amla out to Hazelwood for 31.

Elgar gets his half century!