Mar 11th, 2018

Mar 11th, 2018

Former Australian Test bowler Ryan Harris has defended David Warner against reported allegations of ball tampering during the second Test against South Africa, after opposition batsmen complained to umpires about bandaging on the vice captain's hand.

The Aussie opener was caught up more controversy when South African batsmen took issue with taping on Warner's left hand.

Warner was frequently shown on day two holding the ball in his heavily taped hand before shining it on his pants. The thick adhesive bandaging appears to cover Warner's index finger and thumb and across part of his hand.

Former teammate Harris scoffed at suggestions of ball tampering.

"I think their allegations are a little bit frivolous," Harris told Sports Sunday.

"I think they're obviously looking for something to pin on him, he's one step away from suspension as we heard after the last week.

"The times I played with Davey he had all that strapping on his fingers. Unless there's something rough, sand or glass or something on that taping, that's not going to do anything to the ball."

It's the latest drama involving Warner, who has been at the centre of an ongoing sledging war between the two sides since his infamous dressing room clash with Quinton de Kock in which personal insults about Warner's wife Candice were exchanged.

In the second Test South African fans have bumped up their efforts to get under Warner's skin, distributing Sonny Bill Williams masks at Port Elizabeth, a low blow reference to Mrs Warner's intimate pub bathroom encounter with the rugby star in 2007.

Warner accused of ball tampering

On day two Mitchell Starc ignited an Australian fightback by uprooting off stump, but a sublime knock from AB de Villiers put South Africa ahead by 20 runs at stumps in the second Test.

The Proteas will resume at 7-263 in Port Elizabeth, with de Villiers unbeaten on 74. Australia had five-and-a-half overs with the second new ball late on Saturday but were unable to conjure a wicket.

De Villiers was a class above his teammates and the tourists' disciplined bowling attack, counter-attacking when the game was in the balance to drag his side towards first-innings ascendancy.

South Africa lost Hashim Amla, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis and Theunis de Bruyn in a post-tea collapse of 4-28. De Villiers steadied in unique style, cracking 10 boundaries to bring up his half-century in 62 deliveries.

- with AAP