South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada has been cleared to play in this week's third Test against Australia by the International Cricket Council.
The 22-year-old player's two-match ban has been overturned after his charge of 'making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact' with Australia captain Steve Smith during the second Test in Port Elizabeth was downgraded following an appeal.
Rabada has instead been found guilty of 'conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game' and has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and received one demerit point - reduced from his initial punishment of three.
That leaves Rabada on a total of seven demerit points, one short of triggering an automatic two-match suspension, and he is available for the third and penultimate Test, which starts in Cape Town on Thursday.
“The key issue is whether Mr Rabada made ‘inappropriate and deliberate physical contact’ with Mr. Smith. I am not ‘comfortably satisfied’ that Mr. Rabada intended to make contact and I therefore find him not guilty of the charge under 2.2.7." - Right Honourable Michael Heron QC pic.twitter.com/aFVR3OKdmq
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) March 20, 2018
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Comment: Holding cricketers to a higher moral standard is simply asking to be deceived
Comment: Rabada and others punished by intrusive coverage must be cut some slack
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