Faf du Plessis appeals against ICC ball sanction

Du Plessis, standing in for injured regular skipper AB de Villiers, expressed regret that the case had taken away the gloss from his team’s series-winning triumph in Australia and said he had never meant to cheat.

Du Plessis was back at the Adelaide ground where four years ago his defiant 376-ball unbeaten knock of 110 denied Australia victory to earn the Proteas a backs-to-the-wall draw.

Cricket South Africa complained on Monday that Du Plessis had been subject to “harassment” by Australian media after a TV reporter was involved in a physical confrontation with a team security guard at Adelaide Airport.

He pleaded not guilty but was found to have altered the condition of the ball and was fined 100 percent of his second test match fee. “He is understandably feeling aggrieved”.

Du Plessis argued the science was unclear about the effects of rubbing sweetened saliva on a ball, and said it was impossible to police such a rule given the drinks, candies and chewing gum that players use on the field.

Electing to bat first on winning the toss, South Africa posted a total of 259/9 in their first innings before du Plessis made a decision to declare.

At present, though, there is no suggestion that is the case, and he added: “If you’re seen putting a sweet on to the ball, I think that obviously is against the rules”. Surprisingly, technically, I was the best this whole series.

“I sent him a message to say that he gained a lot of respect from us as a team, because to say that he does exactly what I have been accused of doing takes a lot”.

“It’s not something that’s frowned upon by anyone, not even the umpires…”

The CSA statement said that as the matter was now subject to further legal process, neither du Plessis nor the CSA would make further comment.

Faf du Plessis won the toss and chose to bat in the series-concluding day-night test, giving South Africa a positive start as it chases a sweep against Australia.

The tourists, without the injured AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn, made one change to the side that hammered the Australians to clinch the series with a match to spare in Hobart.

“Forget the Mints. This has been an fantastic innings by Faf du Plessis”.

And if day one proved anything, it was that getting set against the swinging and seaming pink ball was a challenge.

The Cricket Australia boss was strongly behind Adelaide as a venue for day-night Tests.

“I was expecting a little bit of hostility, but not to that extent”, du Plessis said. But still it isn’t a massive score.

Starc, who hit the 150 km/h mark, and Josh Hazlewood both looked potent with the pink ball but relied more on swing and than seam movement.

“So 250 is perhaps a 350 with the red ball, but this is all speculation of where we are in the game. But this is all just speculation”.

Pre-game, Faf du Plessis wasn’t sure how the crowd would react.