Watch: England skipper's harsh words for Aussie ball tampering cheats - 'You know the rules'

England captain Joe Root had strong words for his Australian counterparts, following the exposure of the ball tampering scandal in South Africa.

On the third day of the third Test match between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town, Australia's Cameron Bancroft was caught trying to manipulate the condition of the ball, before it was revealed that the incident was a ploy from the Australian leadership group - led captain Steve Smith.

Speaking at his post match press conference following his side's innings and 49 run loss to the Black Caps at Eden Park yesterday, Root took no prisoners in his assessment of the situation.

"I think as an international player, you know the rules - you shouldn't really have to back that up," he said.

"Every time you go out and represent your country - you know that there's a load of cameras - you're under the spotlight."

"Of course, you give absolutely everything you can on the field, and make sure that you do everything you can to win - but you do it in the right way, simple as that."