AB, Markram push Proteas lead near 300

Showers were forecast for day three in Cape Town but instead all that reigned was more controversy after Cameron Bancroft was charged with ball tampering.

While South Africa ended day three in a position of strength at 5-238 and a lead of 294, the spotlight on Saturday was focused squarely on Bancroft, who attempted to use chunks of the pitch stuck to a piece of yellow tape to alter the condition of the ball.

Television cameras captured Bancroft rubbing the ball with the tape, and after the umpires got wind of his action, "panicked" and put the tape down his pants.

Australia captain Steve Smith fronted the press after play with Bancroft by his side and said the decision to use the tape was devised by the squad's senior players in order to generate reverse swing. 

"Obviously, today was a big mistake on my behalf and on the leadership group's behalf as well," Smith told reporters on Saturday night. 

"But I take responsibility as the captain, I need to take control of the ship, but this is certainly something I'm not proud of and something that I can hope learn from and come back strong from. 

"I am embarrassed to be sitting here talking about this. 

"We're in the middle of such a great series and for something like this to overshadow the great cricket that's been played and not have a single cricket question in here, that's not what I'm about and not what the team's about."

The incident took the shine off another riveting day of Test cricket, with AB de Villiers and Quinton de Kock unbeaten at stumps with the Proteas in firm control.

The highest fourth innings score at Newlands is the West Indies' 5-354 in 2004, while the highest successful run chase is Australia's 6-334 in 2002.

With the form de Villiers is in, it would seem likely Australia will need to set a new venue record to keep their hopes of winning the series alive.

Image Id: 0CD0B439591149328784DE647641DEC3 Image Caption: Cummins celebrates Elgar's wicket // Getty

Australia's gloomy day was matched by the weather as sunshine barley broke through the thick cloud cover that teased a much-needed downpour that never arrived.

After conceding a first-inning deficit of 56, Australia missed a golden chance when Usman Khawaja put down opener Aiden Markram in the first over of the Proteas' second dig.

The drop, from the bowling of Mitchell Starc, would ultimately cost the Australians 84 runs.

The visitors' first breakthrough came when Pat Cummins removed first-innings barnacle Dean Elgar for 14, caught at second slip by Steve Smith.

Image Id: 95FEDC5764ED41E0BED5A033BC4DF0FD Image Caption: Markram salutes his fifty // Andre Mauger

Australia had no more success until the lead had ballooned to 160 when Hashim Amla drilled Cummins to Bancroft at cover where he held a hot chance.

Markram was given a second life on 59 when Smith acrobatically threw himself at a thick outside edge off Hazlewood's bowling but couldn't take the catch or stick the landing.

The opener's luck finally ran out when the right-hander chipped a Mitchell Starc bullet to Cummins at mid-on to end his stay with the score on 3-151 but more importantly the lead on 207.

Tea was consumed by the analysis of the Bancroft footage, with Test legend Shane Warne calling for Bancroft to own up if he was indeed guilty of nefarious actions.

When play resumed a successful review by stand-in captain David Warner, who was in charge with Smith off the field, removed Faf du Plessis lbw for 20 to hand Nathan Lyon Test wicket No.299.

Only one more wicket fell on day three, that of Temba Bavuma well caught by sub-fielder Peter Handscomb, who followed the departing batsman off the field as Steve Smith returned.

The one constant this series, save for a mix-up in Durban, has been de Villiers scoring runs, and he continued to look untroubled as he coasted to 51, his 44th Test half-century.

De Villiers took a back seat as the light darkened late in the day as de Kock motored to 29 from 32 balls, the highlight a towering six off Lyon.

For the third straight day bad light forced the players from the field before the scheduled close of play with the Proteas enjoying another fruitful, if not controversial, day of Test cricket.

Qantas tour of South Africa

South Africa squad: Faf du Plessis (c), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Chris Morris, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Duanne Olivier, Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, AB de Villiers.

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Cameron Bancroft, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Jhye Richardson, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.

Warm-up match: Australia beat South Africa A by five wickets. Report, highlights

First Test Australia won by 118 runs. Scorecard

Second Test South Africa won by six wickets. Scorecard

Third Test Newlands, Cape Town, March 22-26. Live coverage

Fourth Test Wanderers, Johannesburg, March 30-April 3. Live coverage

of the third Test of the Qantas Tour of South Africa in Cape Town.