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Yesterday, after fighting valiantly for the best part of two sessions, South Africa’s batting once again imploded en route to another humbling defeat.

After winning the first test of the four-match series, where a number of the English squad were struck down with illness, the Proteas’ shortcomings were laid bare for all to see, as the English comprehensively won the next three matches.

Yes, the Newlands test may have been drawn if the Proteas hadn’t lost five wickets inside the final session, but we were never in the hunt to win that match, either.

One Englishman who didn’t cover himself in glory this series was ‘keeper Jos Buttler, who verbally abused Vernon Philander during the final session of the Newlands test.

He hasn’t been popular with the Proteas ever since, and Vern was fined 15% of his match fee for his send-off of Buttler in the first innings of the fourth test, but I’m sure he considers it money well spent.

Buttler ended the series with 115 runs at an average of less than 17, and is likely to get the chop from the English test side.

Let’s focus on yesterday, and the altercation between Buttler and skipper Faf du Plessis that could land the latter in hot water.

Wisden reports:

ICC match referee Andy Pycroft may be pressed into action once more after South Africa captain Faf du Plessis bumped his shoulder into England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler during a heated on-field exchange involving several England fielders.

The incident occurred after the 57th over of South Africa’s second innings at The Wanderers, with du Plessis first walking at and coming into contact with Buttler before waving a finger at Stuart Broad. Du Plessis was heard saying “don’t call me that” on the stump microphone, though in response to what is unclear.

Here’s the best footage of the incident circulating on social media:

#SAvsENG #ProteaFire don’t call our skipper that!!☝🏾 pic.twitter.com/dzUECGbIS0

— Thabiso Mazibuko (@therealThabiso1) January 27, 2020

It’s tough to know what Faf is referring to when he says “don’t call me that”, but one of the replies to the tweet says Broad called him a “f*cking idiot”.

Whatever was said, it worked in England’s favour, because Faf was dismissed shortly thereafter, starting a collapse which saw the final eight wickets fall for 93 runs.

Yet another match without a batsman making a century, three successive series losses, five losses in our last six home tests, and serious question marks over a number of players, including the skipper himself.

After the match, both Faf and England skipper Joe Root played down the incident. Sport24 below:

“That’s part of my character,” said Du Plessis. “If you go back you’ll find I’m always involved in a little bit of something in a game, trying to show that fight as a leader of the team to show you don’t stand back to opposition.

“It’s not like I’m looking for it but if it comes across my way I won’t back down. So that was just him (Broad) saying something to me and me saying something back.”

“I don’t think either Jos or myself knew we touched each other,” said Du Plessis, who is under pressure after a poor run of form.

“It was just myself and Broady having a go at each other at that stage and it was him trying to get between me and him. There was no malicious intent.”

England captain Joe Root said he thought the incident was “absolute nothing” and that at the time he was worried that it would make Du Plessis more determined.

“I thought Faf was using it to get himself going and my worry was that it was going to work in his favour,” he said. “It was absolute handbags.”

It was handbags.

No players on the field should make physical contact, though, and given how quick the match umpires have been to dish out fines and demerit points throughout the series, you would imagine Faf hasn’t heard the last about the incident.

The Proteas were also fined 60% of their match fees, and docked six Test World Championship points, for their slow over-rate during the test match, so Faf may end up having to pay in for what many believe was his last test on home soil.

Mercifully, the test match suffering has now ended, but the three-match ODI series kicks off in Cape Town next Tuesday (February 4), before three T20 internationals wrap things up.

No matter what happens from here on out, it’s been another humbling home summer.

[sources:wisden&sport24]