Adelaide — Skipper Faf du Plessis put his ball tampering controversy behind him to defy Australia’s bowlers with a fighting half-century on Thursday, on the opening day of the day-night third Test in Adelaide. Du Plessis was booed by the crowd as he walked out to bat, following a ball tampering incident for which he was found guilty and fined, but cleared to play in the match. But he was his team’s lone hope with a determined knock after the loss of seven wickets had the tourists struggling against Steve Smith’s revamped team. At the dinner break ahead of the much-anticipated final evening session with the pink ball under lights, the Proteas were 165/7 with Du Plessis on 65 and Kyle Abbott one. 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. John Hazlewood was proving the destroyer with four wickets for 36.
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