Du Plessis says Oz players were like 'pack of dogs' when he picked ball while batting

Australian batsman Faf du Plessis has claimed that the Australians rushed at him like a 'pack of dogs' when he picked the ball up while batting during the third Test at Cape Town.

Du Plessis also insinuated that Australians might have indulged in ball tampering on the third day of the decisive Test by questioning how Australia was able to generate reverse swing so early in South Africa's first innings.

According to News.com.au, Du Plessis, who top scored for South Africa on day three as Australia dominated the Test, said that Australia is 'pretty aggressive' about the ball after he was surrounded by angry Australians when he picked the ball and attempted to throw it back to the bowler, Mitchell Johnson

Du Plessis said that he was just being a 'nice guy' by picking the ball and saving the visitors the effort of running in the field, adding that however, the Australians 'ran like a pack of dogs' at him when he got close to the ball.

Du Plessis appeared not to know that it was against the laws of the game for the batsman to handle the ball under any circumstances, and when he found out that former Australian player Andrew Hilditch was given out handled ball against Pakistan in 1979, he said that he would not do such a thing again.

Meanwhile, Johnson revealed that his team was not happy, adding that it was their job as fielders to pick up the ball and they may have even appealed against Du Plessis' actions.