A cricket fan provided one of the most amusing moments on Day 3 of the third Test between South Africa and Australia after displaying a cheeky message for Proteas wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton. The incident took place during Australia's innings in Cape Town, when Cooper Connolly and Mitchell Starc were at the crease during Gerald Coetzee's over.

The television cameras suddenly focused on a spectator holding a placard that read: "Ryan Rickelton, is your mom single?"

Rickelton initially had no idea about the fan's message. However, his teammates soon drew his attention towards the giant screen at Newlands, where the spectator and his unusual banner were being shown. The fan even blew a flying kiss towards the camera while displaying his message, making the moment even more entertaining.

The South African cricketer responded by shaking his head, although he could not hide a slight smile. The amusing exchange quickly became a talking point, with the video spreading across social media platforms.

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South African fans have absolutely ZERO fear 😭😭 Bro really looked at Ryan Rickelton and asked him if his mom was single. 💀 The confidence to ask an international cricketer something like that in front of everyone is CRAZY. South African crowd banter is genuinely in a league of its own. 😂 https://t.co/5ozYN5A2mr

— Nervous90s (@Nrvs90s) October 29, 2026

Meanwhile, Rickelton made a contribution with the bat in the ongoing Test, scoring 42 runs from 83 deliveries in South Africa's first innings. The Proteas, who were asked to bat first by Australia, managed to post 329 runs.

Ryan Rickelton's performance in Test series

The 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batter has experienced a mixed run in the series. He opened the batting for South Africa in the first Test in Durban but endured a difficult outing, registering scores of 0 and 2. Following those performances, the team management moved him down the batting order.

Rickelton featured in just one innings during the second Test in Gqeberha, scoring 31 runs. South Africa went on to win that match by an innings, levelling the series.

Rickelton on standing up to stumps against Australian batters

Before the third Test, Rickelton also spoke about the challenge of standing close to the stumps while keeping against Australia's batters. He explained how this approach can influence the mindset of the batter and potentially change the way they approach deliveries.

Discussing the tactic, Rickelton said that having the wicketkeeper stand up to the stumps can alter a batter's thinking. He recalled an instance involving Travis Head, who was already keeping both feet inside the crease.

Rickelton admitted that he was unsure whether the tactic encourages bowlers to deliver straighter or fuller balls, or forces batters to adjust their approach. However, he pointed out that standing up to the stumps has increasingly become a trend in international cricket.