Cricket: Kiwi match referee Jeff Crowe labels South Africa-Australia series the most ill-tempered he's seen

South Africa's bowler Kagiso Rabada, second right, celebrates a wicket with team mates during the second cricket test match between South Africa and Australia. Photo / AP Photo

Match referee Jeff Crowe has called the recent South Africa-Australia series the most ill-tempered he has seen in cricket.

It saw several clashes between players and ended with Aussie captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opening bat Cameron Bancroft banned for ball-tampering.

"Never in my 14 years of refereeing have I seen such animosity between two teams that was mainly a result of the debacle in the previous Test in Durban," said Crowe's report to the ICC.

"This I have no doubt is a contributing factor to the events that occurred under this COC (code of conduct) charge."

Warner and South Africa batsman Quinton de Kock were charged by the ICC for their heated off-field exchange on the fourth day of the first Test in Durban.

South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada's two-match ban was overturned after his charge of making "inappropriate and deliberate physical contact" with Smith during the second Test in Port Elizabeth was downgraded following an appeal.

And Smith and Warner were given 12-month bans by Cricket Australia and Bancroft was banned for nine months for ball-tampering during Australia's third Test in Cape Town.

South Africa did win the four-Test series 3-1.