After comfortably winning the second Test of the series against Pakistan at Cape Town and also securing the three-match Test series by leading it 2-0 with one to go, South African camp got the bad news which is their captain Faf du Plessis has been suspended for one Test. He faced this suspension due to maintaining slow over-rate in that Test match.
During the Cape Town Test that South Africa won by nine wickets on Sunday morning (day four), the hosts side were one over short after time allowances were taken into consideration. In result, Faf has been handed the fine of 20% of his match fees along with one Test suspension. Moreover, the other players in the playing XI have been fined 10% of their match fees.
In the minor over-rate offence issue, the Article 2.22.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Players Support Personnel says, “players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time, with the captain fined double that amount.”
It is the second minor over-rate offence for the South African captain Faf du Plessis in the last 12 months. Earlier, in January 2018, during the Centurion Test against India, Faf had been found guilty of a minor over-rate offence.
The new suspension means Faf will miss the third and final Test of the home series against Pakistan at Wanderers Stadium (Johannesburg), starting on 11 January. However, the hosts South Africa have already secured the series as they are leading it by 2-0 with the final Test to go.
In the Cape Town Test, South Africa decided to field first after winning the toss. After Pakistan was bundled out for just 177 runs in their first innings, the hosts managed to score 431 runs, thanks to the skipper Faf’s (103 runs) century. Also, the opener Aiden Markram (78 runs), the middle-order batsmen Temba Bavuma (75 runs) and the wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock (59 runs) played 50+ knocks in that innings.
Starting their second innings by trailing 254 runs, Pakistan was bundled out for 294 runs as the hosts only had to chase 41 runs to win. The hosts comfortably reached that tiny target after losing only one wicket. Though he won the Player of the Match award, he has been handed the one Test suspension too.
