/ 19 March 2018

D-Day for Proteas ace Rabada

Kagiso Rabada earned himself a two-match ban for a nudge against Australia.
Kagiso Rabada earned himself a two-match ban for a nudge against Australia.

Kagiso Rabada will have his appeal hearing on Monday as he looks to overturn a suspension that will see him miss the final two Tests against Australia.

Rabada was suspended following a controversial “shoulder bump” with Australian captain Steve Smith during the second Test in Port Elizabeth.

The punishment – three demerit points and a Level 2 charge – has caused a stir in the cricket community with many feeling it was too harsh.

If the appeal is successful and the charge is lessened to a Level 1 – one demerit point – or scrapped completely, then Rabada will fall below a total of eight demerit points over the last 24 months and will be available for the third Test starting in Cape Town on Thursday.

The hearing takes place at an unknown location, and it will begin at 9.30am.

Rabada will be represented by advocate Dali Mpofu, the man who in 1999 had Makhaya Ntini’s rape charges overturned on appeal.

More recently, Mpofu successfully represented Idols judge Gareth Cliff after he had been sacked from the show.

New Zealand’s Michael Herron, meanwhile, will chair the hearing.

Once all findings have been presented, Herring will have 48 hours to come to a decision.

That means that, if the hearing is completed by the end of Monday as expected, Rabada will know his fate by the end of business on Wednesday.

If Rabada is suspended, then Morne Morkel is the favourite to take his place for Newlands.