New Delhi: After an ugly stairwell feud between Warner and De Kock during the first Test at Durban, South African pacer Kagiso Rabada has spiced up the second encounter by giving an aggressive send-off to Australian captain Steve Smith.
22-year-old Rabada, bowling a fiery spell on the first day of the second Test at Port Elizabeth, clinched 5 wickets giving away 96 runs. Rabada tore apart the Aussie middle-order after an impressive start by the openers David Warner and Cameron Bancroft. From 117-3 at one stage, the team got reduced to 212-9 after a brilliant showing from the Proteas pacer.
During his breadth taking spell, Rabada on one of his fast reverse-swinging delivery caught shuffling Steve Smith in front of the wicket. After umpire Kumar Dharmasena ruled Smith out, Rabada moved in the direction of Smith shouting "Yes, yes." Post that, going towards his team mates for celebration, Rabada made shoulder contact with the Australian captain.
Rabada currently has five demerit points to his name and another three will see him sit out two Tests; a tally of eight demerit points within a 24-month period attracts such a penalty as per ICC rules.
The 4-match Test series has already been marred by three controversies of players committing code of conduct offences in the first Test itself. Aussie spinner Lyon was fined 15% of his match fee and received one demerit point his ball-drop celebration after AB de Villiers run out. Warner was fined 75% of his match fee and earned three demerit points for his role in the stairwell saga. Wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock too was fined 25% of his match fee and earned one demerit point for his part in the same.
It will now be interesting to see how the umpires and match officials will react to the aggressive send-off.