UPDATE 1-Cricket-Scandal-hit Australia make solid start to mammoth chase

(updates at tea)

By Nick Said

CAPE TOWN, March 25 (Reuters) - Scandal-hit openers Cameron Bancroft and David Warner survived a testing hour before tea to steer Australia to 47 without loss in pursuit of a mammoth 430 for victory on the fourth day of the third test against South Africa on Sunday.

On a day when Australian captain Steve Smith stepped down as Australia captain before being suspended for one test by the International Cricket Council (ICC) amid ball-tampering revelations, the visitors tried to focus on the match as they faced a tall order to avoid defeat. The series is level at 1-1.

Warner also resigned as vice-captain after Smith confessed on Saturday that the ball-tampering carried out by Bancroft had been orchestrated by the team’s “leadership group”.

With Tim Paine taking over the captaincy for the remainder of the third test at Newlands, the Australian players were greeted by boos and whistles when they walked out for the fourth day’s action.

Bancroft (22), who was handed three demerit points and fined 75 percent of his match fee, will continue after the interval with a relatively subdued Warner (25).

Warner was fortunate to survive an uncontrolled chip to mid-off that was just out of the reach of fielder Aiden Markram, but aside from that the pair have looked relatively untroubled in Australia’s second innings so far.

Umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth spoke to both South African captain Faf Du Plessis and wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock over something that was said to the batsmen.

De Kock and Warner had been involved in an ugly spat in the first test that ended with both being sanctioned by the ICC, and it was clear that the officials were unhappy with De Kock’s conduct.

The tourists had earlier bowled South Africa out for 373 in their second innings, during which spinner Nathan Lyon (3-102) reached 300 test wickets when he had Kagiso Rabada (20) stumped by wicketkeeper Paine.

AB de Villiers (63) and De Kock (65) made valuable contributions to the total, while Vernon Philander finished 52 not out after reaching his eighth test century.

Pat Cummins (3-67) and Josh Hazlewood (3-69) were among the wickets for Australia.