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Cape Town - The crowd at the Adelaide Oval did not give Proteas captain Faf du Plessis the most hospitable welcome when he entered the fray in the third Test against Australia on Thursday.
Coming in to bat with his team at 44/3, Du Plessis was greeted by a loud round of boos from the sizable crowd that had packed the banks and stands for the day/night Test.
Du Plessis had been the centre of a ball tampering saga in the build-up to the match after camera footage from the second Test in Hobart had shown him shining the ball with what has been called 'mint saliva'. Du Plessis had a large mint in his mouth and he rubbed his finger on the mint before shining the ball, prompting the ICC to conduct an investigation.
Du Plessis was found guilty and fined 100% of his match fee, but the Adelaide crowd clearly thought that wasn't enough.
"Have a listen to this, ICC," former Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy said, while commentating on Channel Nine, as Du Plessis walked out to bat.
"Should he be batting? The Adelaide crowd says 'no'. Found guilty, but still able to play."
Du Plessis, with wickets falling all around him, rose to the occasion.
And, in their defence, the same crowd that booed Du Plessis on his way out gave him a warm round of applause when he reached his half century and then an even bigger show of appreciation when he carded a simply stunning century.
