Faf du Plessis says the Proteas are aware that Australia batsman David Warner is just one offence away from picking up a two-match ban.

Warner was given three demerit points and fined 75% of his match fee following Sunday’s confrontation with Quinton de Kock. For his part, the Proteas wicketkeeper was handed a 25% match fee fine and one demerit point.

The incident, which was caught on CCTV camera, has been dominating headlines since Sunday. Warner is alleged to have referred to De Kock’s mother and sister as ‘bush pigs’. Warner said De Kock retaliated by making ‘vile and disgusting’ comments about his wife.

READ MORE: I’ll do it differently, says Warner 

Ahead of the second Test in Port Elizabeth, Du Plessis surprisingly said baiting Warner into a Test ban was something they would consider. Another offence would crucially see Warner miss the third and fourth Tests in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

‘I didn’t think of it before the series,’ Du Plessis told media in Port Elizabeth on Thursday.

READ MORE: De Kock found guilty 

‘It’s probably a little bit smart being like that if you can entice someone into making a mistake to get them missing the rest of the series … that’s probably a tactical move.

‘Before we came into the series, when I looked at all the demerit points, all of it was in the South African team’s side … there wasn’t much in the Australian team.

‘Now that it’s happened, it’s probably an angle that we can look to get to.

READ MORE: Warner available for PE test

‘But, once again, for me it’s more about your presence as a player than the stuff that comes out of your mouth,’ he added.

The second Test between South African and Australia is scheduled to begin at 10:00 at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth on Friday.

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