Faf du Plessis says ‘nothing malicious’ in Jos Buttler collision

South Africa captain Faf Du Plessis insisted there was “nothing malicious” in his collision with England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler on day four of the Johannesburg Test.

Du Plessis was involved in an exchange with Stuart Broad after being hit on the pads by a throw from Sam Curran and then nudged Buttler’s shoulders as he walked past.

“I think that’s part of my character, I’m always involved in a little bit of something somewhere in a game,” he said after a series in which Buttler, Ben Stokes, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada have received demerit points for verbal outbursts towards opponents or, in Stokes’ case, a fan.

Du Plessis was batting to save the game at Wanderers but eventually fell for 35 as his side crumbled from 181-2 to 274 all out to lose the four-match series 3-1 and suffer and eighth defeat in nine Tests.

“I’m trying to show that fight as the leader of the team, that you don’t stand back to opposition. It’s not like I am looking for it, but if it comes my way I won’t back down. It just happens.

“I don’t think we knew we touched each other. It was just myself and Broady having a go at each other.

“I think Jos was just trying to get in between myself and try to diffuse thing. There was nothing malicious. It just got a bit heated.”

England skipper Joe Root said the coming together was “absolute handbags”.

“There was nothing to it whatsoever but because of things that happened previously in this series it will be made a big thing of,” said the winning captain. “Honestly, it was absolute handbags.

“I’m not worried at all. He didn’t exactly knock him over, did he?

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