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Forget mints, Faf sticks to saliva to shine ball

Cape Town - Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis laughed off any notion that he'll be using mints to shine the ball ahead of the first Test against New Zealand in Dunedin.

Du Plessis was asked to speak about his infamous 'mintgate' saga, which saw the skipper fined 100 percent of his match fee after the second Test against Australia in Hobart in November last year when television footage showed him applying 'mint saliva' to the ball during the fourth day's play.

The Proteas went on to win the Hobart Test match by an innings and 80 runs.

Du Plessis denied the charge and lodged an appeal that was later rejected by the International Cricket Council.

Leading up to the first Test against the Black Caps, Du Plessis laughed off a reporter asking him about how he's going to shine the ball now that mints are not an option.

"I don't know these conditions, so I have to see what the guys think is the best way to shine the ball," said Du Plessis.

"Saliva? That's the process I'm following for the next while I think.

"But swinging the ball would be a huge factor in these conditions, you have to make sure you keep that ball shiny as long as possible.

"I don't think reverse will play too much of a role with the ball getting wet, so it's just making that ball swing for longer."

The first Test gets underway in Dunedin on Tuesday (00:00 SA time).

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