Rabada can play in third Test after ban reduced

Los Angeles : South Africa pace bowler Kagiso Rabada can play in the final two Test matches against Australia after he won an appeal to have his series ban reduced.

Rabada was given three demerit points after being deemed to have deliberately made contact with Steve Smith after dismissing him in the second Test. That took the 22-year-old to eight demerit points in a 24-month period an automatic two-Test ban.

But his punishment was reduced to one demerit point on appeal.

His fine was also brought down from 50 per cent of his match fee to 25 pc for the offence.

A statement from the International Cricket Council said Rabada had “been found not guilty of the charge of making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player” and instead been “found guilty of conduct that is contrary to the spirit of the game”.