South Africa’s touring cricketers said on Monday they were hoping for a quick decision on their appeal against the Test ban slapped on all-rounder Andrew Hall ahead of the first Test against Pakistan this week.
”We do hope [for] a decision before the first Test starts on Friday,” said South African one-day team manager Cassim Docrat.
”We have not asked for any replacement and all-rounder Alan Dawson has already left for South Africa,” he said, adding that Dawson had only been chosen for the five-match one-day series, which the Proteas won on Sunday.
Hall was banned from one one-day match and two Test matches by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with Pakistan’s Yousuf Youhana during the second one-day match in Lahore on October 5.
He appeared to impede Youhana with an elbow while the batsman was taking a run.
South African captain Graeme Smith was also fined and banned from one one-day match for using abusive language as the players argued over the matter. Both Hall and Smith missed their team’s series-clinching seven-wicket win on Sunday.
The ICC on Sunday appointed former English High Court Judge Sir Oliver Popplewell to hear Hall’s appeal.
The ICC said the decision of the appeals commissioner will be final.
Docrat said experienced opener Gary Kirsten was due to arrive in Lahore later on Monday while manager Tim Southey had arrived in Rawalpindi to take over from him for the Test series.
South Africa has also flown in wicketkeeper-batsman Morne van Wyk as a cover for the injured Herschelle Gibbs. — Sapa-AFP