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For the first time since the opening day in Perth, South Africas defences have been tested, and this time they have held up strongly. The entire squad and support staff stood in solidarity with stand-in captain Faf du Plessis against what they see as victimisation after their third successive series win in Australia.Lets start with the obvious. Whether or not du Plessis is found guilty of altering the condition of the ball - which, when indulged in, is to encourage reverse swing - is irrelevant to the outcome of the series. Vernon Philander would still have found seam movement either way, Australia would still have lost. So South Africa see the charges as taking the shine off a deserved win and an attempt to diminish their success.Hashim Amla said as much when he called the episode sour sweets in an extraordinary press conference at the MCG. Amla was accompanied by every member of the touring party, who stood with him as he delivered the South African response to a charge that, at that stage, had not even been laid. Amla said he was not aware that the ICC was reviewing the footage, and used strong words to dismiss the allegation. Words like joke and ridiculous, which came in response to similarly harsh words in the Australian media.When the footage of du Plessis was first released on Wednesday, newspapers carrying the story described du Plessis as a confessed ball-tamperer and the team as notorious for their working of the ball. Every major publication carried several stories on it, and it received substantial airtime on television. South Africa are not used to that sort of coverage: the media landscape is much smaller back home, and much softer in India - the other place where they are confronted with mass reportage.They are understood to be seeing it as their fight against the Australian fourth estate, without whose intervention this would not have come to light. Not even the match officials knew that du Plessis was shining the ball with saliva that had also allegedly been in contact with a mint. When it came to their attention via the media, the 18-hour window for them to report it had lapsed but Cricket Australia could still have laid a complaint. The board did not, and made clear it had no intention to do so. Instead, the ICC chose to review the footage of its own volition and chief executive David Richardson has since laid the charge. Given that course of events, one can see why South Africa feel theyve been unfairly treated.This is not the first time that South African players being caught on camera has spun into a controversy beyond the actual incident. When Philander was fined for ball-tampering in Sri Lanka in 2014, Ten Sports had visuals of him scratching the ball and picking the seam on the third day, and alerted the match referee, Jeff Crowe. Philander was subsequently charged and fined 75% of his match fee. The pictures were not aired publicly until the fifth day and insiders said Cricket South Africa had put pressure on Ten Sports not to broadcast the visuals. When Sri Lanka Cricket found out, it made its own demands to air the footage.A year before that, Ten Sports caught du Plessis rubbing the ball near the zipper on his trouser pocket in the UAE, in a match against Pakistan. The television umpire alerted on-field officials, who awarded penalty runs against South Africa, and du Plessis was later fined. CSA was furious with Ten Sports at the time and threatened their rights and access.On both those occasions, the player involved did not contest the charge and accepted the punishment, although in 2013, du Plessis insisted he did not act with intent. That seems likely to be the defence this time as well, except that du Plessis is contesting the charge and will need legal representation for a hearing. South Africa are in conversation with their counsel and will begin preparing a case.Arguing that they are the victims of a media war is not going to work. The law on using an artificial substance to shine the ball is clear: its not allowed. Even though, as Amla pointed out, players walk out onto the field having consumed any number of things, and its an open secret that the tactic does get used (Marcus Trecothick wrote as much in his autobiography), using the everybody does it defence is also unlikely to earn South Africa any advantage.Exactly how they will get themselves out of this with reputations unscathed remains to be seen, but for now there is some space to understand why theyre feeling a little hard done by. They have already had to deal with racist graffiti aimed at Amla on the fence inside Bellerive Oval, and a public outcry from home when Ian Chappell, on commentary, responding to Ian Healys questions about how Kagiso Rabada developed his pace, said: Youd have to ask all the batsmen in his village. The word village was the one people took issue with. Rabada is from a privileged city background in Johannesburg, and the stereotyping left a bitter taste in South African mouths.Now Australian mints could do the same in another reminder that a tour here is never only fought on the field. Thats part of what makes it so challenging. It is also part of what makes winning here so sweet.Jeff Bagwell Jersey . DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action. Zack Greinke Jersey . Nine days before the opening ceremony, organizing committee chief Dmitry Chernyshenko said Wednesday that Sochi is "fully ready" and will deliver safe, friendly and well-run games that defy the grim reports that have overshadowed preparations. http://www.customastrosjersey.com/custom-taylor-jones-jersey-large-1866y.html . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Jim Umbricht Jersey . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. Aledmys Diaz Jersey . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34.PORTLAND, Ore. -- A 16-team tournament featuring some of college basketballs elite teams will be staged next year in Portland to honor Nike co-founder Phil Knight before his 80th birthday.The PK80, or more formally the Phil Knight Invitational, will be played at Portlands Moda Center and Memorial Coliseum on Nov. 23-26, 2017.Participating teams include Arkansas, Butler, Connecticut, Duke, Florida, Georgetown, Gonzaga, Michigan State, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Portland, Portland State, Stanford and Texas.The event, billed as one of the largest regular-season invitational tournaments ever, includes nine of the past 13 NCAA champions.To be in Portland, in and around where Phils had a tremendous impact to the community, the impact of Nike from the business perspective, employment, and all the things that come along with it, it seemed like a real natural, said Chris Oxley, senior vice president of venue operations for the two arenas. We couldnt be more excited to have this tournament.Nikes headquarters are in Beaverton, Oregon, just west of Portland.ddddddddddddThe teams will be divided into two groups of eight and each group will compete for a bracket title. All the games will be broadcast on ESPN.Only two teams from each conference were allowed, and Knight holds degrees from Oregon and Stanford, so that did not allow room for Oregon State or Arizona.Oregon coach Dana Altman, who led the Ducks to an appearance in the Elite Eight at the NCAA Tournament last year, called the event an excellent way to celebrate Phil Knight.He has done so much, not just for the University of Oregon, but all of college basketball, Altman said in a statement. We are honored to be a part of the PK80 tournament.Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski echoed the sentiment: PK80 is a unique way we can honor him and the contributions he has made not just to the game of basketball, but to all of sport. ' ' '