Faf du Plessis continued his impregnable run at the Adelaide Oval, entering to a chorus of boos before posting another unbeaten century and declaring when South Africa reached 259-9 on an opening day otherwise dominated by Australia in the day-night Test.
Du Plessis, the player of the match on his Test debut when he batted the entire last day at the same venue to salvage a series-swinging draw in 2012, was 118 not out yesterday when he ended the innings.
That gave Australia’s new-look batting lineup 12 overs to face under the lights, which they finished on 14-0.
Photo: AP
It has been a tumultuous week for Du Plessis, who was fined, but avoided a suspension after being found guilty by the International Cricket Council of ball-tampering in South Africa’s series-clinching win in the second Test last week.
He was loudly booed as he strode to the crease with the total at 44-3.
He shared a 51-run stand with opener Stephen Cook (40) and held the innings together as wickets fell around him.
Australia took three wickets in the first session, four in the second, and were one wicket from bowling South Africa out before Du Plessis took the tactical decision to give his bowlers a chance to get wickets before stumps.
The highest total in the first day-night Test was 224, and that match finished inside three days with a 66 by Australia’s Peter Nevill the highest score by Australia or New Zealand, who played the first-ever pink-ball Test last year.
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