CAPE TOWN – Proteas seamer Vernon Philander says his Twitter account was hacked on Wednesday night, and that he didn’t type the post criticising Australian captain Steve Smith’s role in his clash with Kagiso Rabada in Port Elizabeth.
Just before midnight on Wednesday, a post on Philander’s account included a video clip of the incident involving Rabada and Smith in the infamous ‘Shouldergate’ saga.
Rabada had dismissed Smith lbw in the second Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth, and brushed the batsman’s shoulder as he celebrated the wicket.
ICC match referee Jeff Crowe found Rabada guilty of a Level 2 offence for “inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with a player”, and he received three demerit points and a fine of 50% of his match fee.
Rabada has since appealed the decision, and the post on Philander’s account – which has since been deleted – accused Smith of using football skills to get the Proteas paceman into trouble with the match officials.
“Havent really seen the fotage of this incident but by the looks of this...Steve Smith gave KG the shoulder. He could have avoided any contact but to me he is just as guilty. Trying some football skills to get a penalty??? Pity he didnt dive to top it off,” the post read.
The comments made headlines around the world, and some Proteas fans supported Philander’s strong stance, while others were wary of a backlash from the ICC.
But on Thursday morning, Philander tweeted: “Good morning all my tweeps. Waking up this morning to alot of twitter craziness as my acc got hacked and someone posted a nice little article on my behalf. Sorry for all the drama or entertainment caused by the looks of it. Have a great day all.”
Good morning all my tweeps. Waking up this morning to alot of twitter craziness as my acc got hacked and someone posted a nice little article on my behalf. Sorry for all the drama or entertainment caused by the looks of it. Have a great day all.
— Vernon Philander (@VDP_24) March 15, 2018
Rabada is now waiting on the ICC to appoint a judicial commissioner for the appeal hearing, and will hope to be cleared, which will allow him to play in the third Test at Newlands, starting next week Thursday.
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