Du Plessis' amazing efforts in the field

Faf du Plessis produced two of the best pieces of fielding you will ever see in Canberra today - for a grand total of zero wickets.

The South African first wowed the Manuka Oval crowd with an acrobatic save on the boundary rope that prevented a lusty blow from Steve Smith going for six.

Running sideways along the rope at long-on, du Plessis leaped backwards into the air as the ball appeared to be sailing over his head.

He then threw out his right hand and deflected the ball back into play as he landed heavily on his back.

That effort saved four runs, but du Plessis gave a few runs back just two balls later when he took a stunning one-handed catch - off a no-ball.

Sprinting in from long-on, du Plessis dove forward and plucked the ball in his right hand in what would have been celebrated as one of the greatest ever catches had the delivery been legitimate. Du Plessis celebrated by throwing the ball in the air towards mid-wicket.

Unfortunately for the Proteas, du Plessis hadn't realised that bowler Morne Morkel had overstepped and been called for a no-ball.

With the ball long gone from du Plessis' hand, the Aussies batsmen scrambled three runs.

Smith then played an audacious shot from the subsequent free-hit, turning the ball between his legs and to the square leg fence for four runs as the home side finished with 5-329 from their 50 overs.