Day one snapshot of third Test

* Score: South Africa 9(dec)-259 v Australia 0-14.

* Man of the moment: Faf du Plessis. After a week of ball tampering controversy, the South African skipper cops abuse from the crowd but shows true ticker with a masterly 118 not out.

* Key moment: Not content with outsmarting the bowlers, du Plessis outmanoeuvres Australia by suddenly declaring while David Warner was off the field getting treatment on a shoulder injury, meaning he couldn't open the batting.

* Stat of the day: 98. The number of valuable runs put on for South Africa's last two wickets - they were wobbling at 7-161.

* Summary: Du Plessis' ton of character and wagging tailing ensures honours are pretty well shared after paceman Josh Hazlewood's four-wicket haul. Australia's callow batting is now again under the proverbial microscope.

* Quote of the day: "I was expecting a little bit of hostility but not to that extent ... when I got to 100 I wasn't expecting to still get booed, so that was pretty disappointing." - Du Plessis