South Africa star Rabada appeals two-Test ban

Rabada was found guilty of "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player" after leaning with his shoulder into Steve Smith after dismissing the Australian skipper last week.

The incident occurred during the second Test, which South Africa won by six wickets to level the series having lost the opener in a four-match series.

Rabada took 11 wickets for 150 runs during he Port Elizabeth triumph, but the Smith incident lifted his demerit points total to eight, triggering an automatic two-Test ban.

“The ICC confirms that Kagiso Rabada has appealed against the level two breach following the incident with Steve Smith during the Port Elizabeth Test.

"We will now appoint a judicial commissioner at the earliest opportunity and hearing details will be confirmed in due course," the world cricket governing body said.

The ICC must name a commissioner by this Friday and the appeal has to be heard within seven days.

Rabada will remain suspended unless the commissioner permits him to play in the third Test, which starts next Thursday at Newlands in Cape Town. 

The 22-year-old South African insists his brush with Smith was accidental, saying: "If I did it deliberately, I would not have contested the charge". 

Smith has said his team want Rabada to play in the remaining two Tests in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

"Kagiso is a world-class bowler and you always want to come up against the best -- that is for sure," he said. "He is right up there, playing unbelievably well."

Rabada is the firth player to be punished by the ICC in a fiery series after Australians David Warner, Nathan Lyon and Mitchell Marsh and South African Quinton de Kock. DM