Hobart - “Lollyline” is the term that's been attached to the ballooning scandal over television footage showing Faf du Plessis polishing the ball using fingers taken from his mouth - in which an object that could be a sugary sweet is clearly visible.

The 18-hour window the match officials had to take action closed without them doing so‚ which means the matter in now in the hands of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

“The ICC has been alerted to the footage and is currently reviewing the incident from the perspective of it being a possible breach of the ICC code of conduct‚” an ICC spokesperson said.

The pictures were taken during the second Test at Bellerive Oval in Hobart‚ which ended on Tuesday in victory for South Africa by an innings and 80 runs and sealed the series 2-0 for the visitors.

Using sugar-soaked saliva on the ball to keep it shiny is among the oldest tricks in the ball-tampering book. It is also among the most difficult to police.

But it is illegal in terms of law 42.3‚ which states that the ball may be polished “provided that no artificial substance is used”.

South Africa’s team management have laid the matter at the door of the ICC and Cricket Australia have declined to comment.

But newspapers here haven’t hesitated to climb in‚ with the Melbourne Age conjuring “Lollyline” as a headline - a play on the “Bodyline” Ashes series of 1932-33. - TMG Digital