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Cape Town – Send me! These were the words of former Springbok lock Bakkies Botha in a light hearted response on Twitter to the suspension of Proteas cricketer Kagiso "KG" Rabada.
Botha, referencing president Cyril Ramaphosa's state of the nation address in February, was responding to the ICC's ban against Rabada for the final two Tests against Australia.
Rabada's 11/150 stole the show and earned him the man-of-the-match award in the second Test in Port Elizabeth, but the Proteas speedster was charged on two separate occasions for over-the-top celebrations.
Central to the controversy was an inappropriate and deliberate shoulder contact with Australian captain Steve Smith.
SUSPENDED: ICC hit Rabada with series ban
The conduct breach earned him three demerit points and a 50% match day fee fine from ICC Match Referee Jeff Crowe. This took Rabada's demerit points to the threshold of eight points leading to his suspension.
Rabada also accepted a lesser charge of one demerit for his animated send-off of Aussie opener David Warner in the same match.
The suspension has been widely criticised, with many drawing humourous comparisons between cricket and rugby.
Read: Faf: Test cricket getting too sensitive
At 2.02m tall, and weighing in at 124kg, Botha would make an imposing figure on the Proteas team.
Rabada is appealing the suspension by the ICC on Monday, and is being represented by advocate Dali Mpofu.
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