LONDON (AP) — Kagiso Rabada was suspended from cricket only six weeks ago.
On Wednesday, the elite South Africa seamer received a standing ovation from the crowd at Lord’s.
The accolade was for Rabada starring in the World Test Championship final by taking 5-51 in 15.4 overs to help South Africa rout defending champion Australia for 212 on day one.
“You always felt on this wicket, any ball had their name on it,” he said.
He took two wickets in the morning. The three wickets after tea also earned him personal milestones.
His third wicket of the day, bowling Australia captain Pat Cummins, tied him with Allan Donald on 330 wickets for fourth place on South Africa’s all-time test list. The fourth wicket, Beau Webster, left Donald behind. The fifth wicket, Mitchell Starc, gave Rabada a five-for and a second inscription on the Lord’s honors boards.
Each time he finished bowling and returned to patrol the boundary, he was applauded by the large contingent of South Africa fans.
“It feels like a home game,” he said. “I’m just happy I could do a job out there. All of us started really well, I just got the rewards today.”
It all went better than Rabada and South Africa expected after he tested positive for a recreational drug in January and admitted to it.
Rabada underwent education programs which reduced his suspension from three months to a month — April — in the middle of his multi-million-dollar Indian Premier League contract.
The Proteas and Cricket South Africa hierarchy supported Rabada through the process and, after some criticism of the length of suspension, prepared him for any abuse during the WTC final. But if there was any, it was muted by his success.
Just before leaving South Africa for London to play in the final, he said of the suspension, “The biggest thing I took away from it is having gratitude for playing the game that we love. I’m just glad to be playing again.”
South Africa would say the same.
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