Michael Heron QC of New Zealand has 48 hours to deliberate, after hearing Kagiso Rabada’s appeal of a two-match suspension on Monday.

Rabada was represented by advocate Dali Mpofu after he was found guilty of making contact with Australia captain Steve Smith during the second Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth. He could miss the remainder of the four-match series as a result.

The 22-year-old Rabada is on nine demerit points after picking up four during the Port Elizabeth Test.

He is only attempting to be cleared of three of those points, picked up when he made contact with Smith’s shoulder after he dismissed the Australian captain in the first innings. Rabada went into the fixture on five demerit points and reached the threshold of eight, which equates to a two-Test ban.

He finished the game in Port Elizabeth with 11 wickets.

Over the weekend, Rabada accepted part of the blame for the incident and said: ‘I take responsibility for what happened. On the video, it looks like I got into the guy’s space, so I shouldn’t have done that. I’ll say 50-50, it’s my fault. I didn’t feel anything in the moment.’