Kagiso Rabada backed to use one month drug ban as motivation as South Africa aim to dethrone Australia in World Test Championship final
South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada will use his month-long ban for taking cocaine as extra motivation as his side prepare for the World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's.
Rabada, whose Test record of 327 wickets at 22 makes him the undisputed leader of the South African attack, insisted recently that he would not be a 'Mr-I-Apologise too much' after a routine test during the SA20 in January revealed traces of the drug.
And South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said Rabada's experience would spur him on against an Australian side who are favourites to retain the title they won two years ago after beating India at The Oval.
'It's definitely a motivation,' said Bavuma.
'It's been a couple of weeks now that everything has unfolded, and he put himself on the spot for further questioning from any of the players. As far as we know, that's behind us.
'He's in the best shape that he's ever been.
'We also play against the Australians as well, so that will be extra motivation for him. He's in a very good space.'
Bavuma believes South Africa have a chance to exploit Australian vulnerability at the top of the order, with Marnus Labuschagne moving up to open for the first time in his 58 Tests, and Cameron Green – who scored three centuries during a five-match championship stint with Gloucestershire – also earning a promotion, to No 3.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Aussies stage huge comeback in World Test Championship final as Steve Smith surpasses Don Bradman - and South Africa make a shocking mistake
South Africa are ruing a costly non-review after Australia 's pace juggernaut hit back during a rollicking first day of the World Test Championship final at Lord's. Kagsio Rabada (5-51) threw a mighty first punch, justifying Proteas captain Temba Bavuma's call to bowl first with his 17th five-wicket haul to help skittle Australia for 212. But rank underdogs South Africa, aiming to break a 27-year title drought in ICC tournaments, were left reeling at 4-43 by stumps. Their batters left the famous London venue in a daze on Wednesday evening (Thursday AEST) following a masterful final session of bowling from Australia's famed pace trio - Mitchell Starc (2-10), Pat Cummins (1-14), and Josh Hazlewood (1-10). South Africa earlier used two unsuccessful reviews on allrounder Beau Webster - which were ruled as umpire's call - but failed to refer a third which would have had the towering Tasmanian trapped lbw for only eight. No.6 Webster, in just his fourth Test, went on to top score for Australia with a career-best 72. South Africa's Wiaan Mulder grimaces as he's hit for four by Beau Webster after his team made a huge error with a review on the Tasmanian all-rounder Their eventual total could have been well below 200 had Webster departed early given Australia lost 5-20 to end their innings. '(Squad member) Corbin Bosch came down to fine leg, and he says it was out,' Rabada recalled when he discovered the Proteas had blown an opportunity. 'I was like, 'oh man!'. It was a bit annoying. 'He (Webster) didn't start off too well out there. 'Looked like he was going to get out any ball, but I guess his positive intent got him through.' Steve Smith (66) was still coughing after battling through flu to put on a crucial 79-run stand with Webster after Australia were limping at 4-67. 'It looked pretty good to me from the other end. I don't know what happened actually,' Smith said of South Africa not using a review. 'I know Beau was in a little bit of pain; I don't think it actually hit his pad, I think it just hit his leg. 'They had a chance to use a referral and didn't.' Bavuma (three) will resume in the middle on Thursday with David Bedingham (eight). Smith, who became the highest-scoring visiting batter in Tests at Lord's, was left fuming at himself for falling to part-time spinner Aiden Markram when in reach of a 37th century. 'I'm still trying to fathom how I've done that,' said Smith, putting his head into his hands. It was all about the Rabada redemption story early in the day, running riot underneath overcast skies in London by taking two wickets in four balls. Rabada, in his first Test since serving a one-month ban for testing positive to cocaine, removed Usman Khawaja (a 20-ball duck) and Cameron Green (four) in the seventh over. In his first Test since March 2024, fit-again Green hit his first delivery to the boundary at fine leg in a promising start. But the 26-year-old was gone just two balls later, edging a Rabada rocket to slips where he was superbly caught by Markram. Marnus Labuschagne, in his first innings as a Test opener, started brightly to get through until drinks. But as he often has during the last two years, the under-pressure Queenslander struggled to keep the score ticking over. Labuschagne got caught between playing a shot and leaving a Marco Jansen delivery, nicking off for 17 from 56 balls. The 30-year-old, who was once described as having 'opening-itis', won the battle to be Khawaja's fifth opening partner in 18 months over teenager Sam Konstas. The spectre of Konstas, one of Australian cricket's rising stars, will now loom even larger for the upcoming three-Test tour of the West Indies. Labuschagne's last Test century came back in July 2023 at Manchester. Travis Head, who starred with a matchwinning 163 in Australia's WTC final triumph in 2023, was out on the final ball before lunch after wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne hung on to a screamer.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Rugby Union Weekly Inside the Lions camp
We go behind the scenes at the Lions training camp in Portugal to see how preparations have begun for the clash with Argentina in Dublin and the tour down under. Chris chats to Ellis Genge who's already striking up an unexpected 'bromance' with one of the Irish players he's usually slating on the pitch. Genge talks openly about trying to get out of his comfort zone in camp and how he's approaching his first Lions tour aged 30. Forwards coach John Dalziel stops by to talk Argentina and what has impressed him most since the players came into camp. Plus, Jac Morgan tells us how it feels to be flying the flag for Welsh rugby on tour, his memories of the Australia tour in 2013 and he discusses the fierce competition in the back row.
BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Trivia-busting Rabada joins elite Lord's club of two
South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada has joined an elite Lord's club of any player who takes five wickets or scores a century in a Test match has their name etched onto an honours board in gold the first day of the World Test Championship (WTC) final, only one other Test player in the storied 141-year history of Lord's has appeared on the honours board in both the home and away dressing quirky mark of cricket trivia belonged to legendary West Indies opener Gordon knocks of 214 not out and 103 against England in 1984 and 1988 respectively adorn the board in the away dressing less well known is the fact he is also on the home dressing room for the 122 he made for the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) against the Rest of the World in South Africa allocated the home dressing room for the WTC final at the home of cricket, Rabada's five-wicket haul was enough to see him join Greenidge in the exclusive club.A piece of sticky batting tape with Rabada's name written on it in pen has been attached to the board for his figures of 5-51, as is the tradition for players during matches. The gold lettering should soon with no place for neutral Tests at Lord's on the honours board since they were refurbished in 2018 it may well be stencilled on there permanently by the signwriter."It was cool to have it in the home changing room now," said Rabada, whose name is on the board in the away dressing room for the 5-52 he took for his country in a Test against England in 2022. Did England great Broad help Rabada? Perhaps he benefited from some insider trading from the fast bowlers' union to achieve the a savvy move, South Africa engaged the services of Stuart Broad - a man who is on the honours board for batting and bowling - in the build-up to this did so on the premise the former England bowler could impart some pearls of wisdom on a ground where he took 113 must have been eagerly taking notes – CricViz data showed that 84% of Rabada's deliveries on day one were on a good length, which is the most of any innings in his dismissal of Australia opener Usman Khawaja with a delivery from round the wicket which squared the left-hander up and took the edge was Broadian by nature."Stuart gave us a few pointers on certain field placings and in general with the conditions with cloud cover and wind," acknowledged Rabada, who has the second-best strike-rate (39.1) in the history of the game of bowlers with 100 wickets or more (beaten only by England's George Lohmann, who took his wickets every 34.1 balls between 1886 and 1896)."The ball was nipping a bit and at times moving off the slope quite a lot. I still felt batters could get in. We thought we should have bowled them out for 160 but that's just the way the game goes." There was also a redemption element of sorts to Rabada's efforts with the 30-year-old fast bowler had come into the match with something of a cloud hanging over him having recently served a short ban for recreational drug use."It wasn't my best moment, as I have alluded to," Rabada said, in a matter-of-fact manner."Life moves on. Every game that I play for South Africa, I try to do my best."On a day when 14 wickets fell at Lord's it would be easy to assume the South Africa quick bowler's five-wicket haul could be attributed to other factors."For day one of a Lord's Test match, it was below average in terms of movement through the air, and just about average for deviation off the pitch," said TMS scorer Andy Zaltzman."So that comes down to quality of bowling and consistency."Rabada also moved above legendary fast bowler Allan Donald and up to fourth on South Africa's all-time Test wicket-takers list as he took his tally to 332 three men above him on South Africa's all-time list are Makhaya Ntini (390), Shaun Pollock (421) and Dale Steyn (439)."As a player, growing up and representing South Africa, I have been inspired by those who have come before and seen what they have done on the big stage," he added."As a kid, I was inspired to do the same thing. To be on that list is something special and long may it continue."
