(REUTERS) – SOUTH Africa opened up a potentially match-winning lead on day three of the third Test yesterday as Australia captain Steve Smith admitted his side tampered with the ball in a confession that sent shockwaves through the sport.

In an extraordinary news conference after the day’s play, Smith and Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft confessed to a plan to use sand stuck to tape to alter the condition of the ball in an effort to produce more swing.

Bancroft has been charged with a Level Two offence by the International Cricket Council, but whether Smith will face any sanction after admitting to hatching the plot along with the team’s “leadership group” remains to be seen.
South Africa will resume their second innings on 238 for five today, already with a potentially match-winning lead of 294 on a deteriorating wicket that is offering assistance to the bowlers.

AB de Villiers is not out on 51 and will resume on the fourth morning with Quinton de Kock, on 29, as the pair look to push the lead past 350 runs at least with two full days remaining and sunshine predicted.

But the headline issue in an already tempestuous series, in which five players have been sanctioned and Australia complained of “disgraceful” South African supporters verbally abusing their players, was the admission of the touring side that they tried to cheat in a plot hatched at lunch on the third day.

This came to light after Bancroft, the most junior member of the side and the player tasked with carrying out the plan, was caught on camera rubbing a yellow object against the ball.
He was then shown hastily putting the object down the front of his trousers before speaking to on-field umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth, who had been alerted to the suspicious behaviour.

Bancroft turned out his pockets and showed the umpires a black piece of cloth before play continued and the hosts tightened their hold on the match.
The ICC announced its intention to charge Bancroft at the close of play and he faces a maximum punishment of a 100 percent fine of his match fee and four demerit points, which would trigger an automatic one-match ban.

“I’m embarrassed, the boys in the shed are embarrassed and I feel for Cam as well,” Smith told reporters.
“It is not what we want to see in the game, it’s not what the Australian cricket team is about. Being the leader of the team I am incredibly sorry for trying to bring the game into disrepute like we did today.”

The four-match series is poised at 1-1, with the final Test due to start in Johannesburg on Friday.

SCOREBOARD

SOUTH AFRICA 1st innings  311 all out

AUSTRALIA 1st innings

Cameron Bancroft lbw Vernon Philander  77

David Warner b Kagiso Rabada 30

Usman Khawaja c Kagiso Rabada b Morne Morkel                  5

Steven Smith c Dean Elgar b Morne Morkel 5

Shaun Marsh c Quinton de Kock b Morne Morkel               26

Mitchell Marsh c Quinton de Kock b Vernon Philander            5

Tim Paine not out           34

Pat Cummins c AB de Villiers b Kagiso Rabada                4

Mitchell Starc c AB de Villiers b Kagiso Rabada                2

Nathan Lyon c Dean Elgar b Morne Morkel    47

Josh Hazlewood c Hashim Amla b Kagiso Rabada                  10

Extras: (b-1, lb-5 nb-4)               10

Total:  (all out, 69.5 overs)      255

Fall of wickets : 1-43, 2-61, 3-72, 4-150, 5-150, 6-156, 7-173, 8-175, 9-241.

Bowling:  Vernon Philander 15-5-26-2 (nb-1), Kagiso Rabada (20.5-1-91-4 (nb-3) Morne Morkel 21-7-87-4, Keshav Maharaj 12-3-35- 0, Temba Bavuma 1-0-10-0. 

South Africa 2nd innings

Aiden Markram c Pat Cummins b Mitchell Starc       84

Dean Elgar c Steven Smith b Pat Cummins 14

Hashim Amla c Cameron Bancroft b Pat Cummins     31

AB de Villiers   not out           51

Faf du Plessis lbw Nathan Lyon        20

Temba Bavuma c (sub.) b Josh Hazlewood  5

Quinton de Kock not out                29

 Extras: (b-4)         4

 Total:  (6 wkts, 72.0 overs)      238

Fall of wickets: 1-28, 2-104, 3-151, 4-196, 5-201.

Bowling: Mitchell Starc 15-2-48-1-, Josh Hazlewood 17-4-46-1, Pat Cummins 19-4-47- 2, Nathan Lyon 16-1-69-1, Steven Smith 1-0- 6-0, Mitchell Marsh 4-0-18-0.