• Source:JND
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Cricket is known to be a gentlemen's game as players keep their angers supresses as they step on the field. However, in a recent match between Bangladesh vs South Africa, things got ugly between the players from both sides, namely Ripon Mondal and Tshepto Ntuli. Notably, both Ripon and Ntuli engaged in a physical altercation after the Bangladesh player hit the latter for a six. What followed was a glance at the bowler by Ripon as the former charged towards him aggressively.

As per the video, both players shoved into each other in addition to exchanging some words. What was surprising that even though umpires intervened, both players continued their scuffle. “This is extreme, this is unacceptable. Normally, we see verbal altercations in a cricket field, but we don’t often see a scuffle. Ntuli struck Ripon’s helmet at one point,” one of the on-air commentators said as quoted by ESPN Cricinfo.

Three balls after an initial incident, Ntuli retrieved a fended-off delivery and immediately threw it back towards Ripon, who managed to get his bat in the way just in time to defend himself.

Further action on the matter is anticipated from these respective boards. This is not an isolated incident in the series, as earlier during the one-day leg, both Andile Simelane and Jishan Alam were suspended for a game due to disciplinary breaches.

In terms of the series results so far, South Africa lost the one-day series 2-1 to Bangladesh. The first four-day game between the two sides concluded in a draw. In the current ongoing four-day match, Bangladesh posted a strong first innings total of 371 runs, with Iftakhar Hossain Ifti scoring a century (109 runs). Ripon himself made a valuable contribution of 43 runs coming down the order. Andile Mokgakane was the most successful bowler for South Africa, claiming four wickets, while Ntuli also picked up three wickets. In response to Bangladesh's total, South Africa are currently at 152 for 6 wickets.