- Proteas batting coach Justin Sammons says their batters have slipped up in South Africa's ongoing three-match Test series against Australia.
- The Proteas have already lost the series 2-0 and with the third Test washed out on Day 3 - a draw is likely.
- Sammons admits to it being a tough tour for the South Africans but argues that lessons have been learnt.
Proteas batting coach Justin Sammons acknowledges it's been a tough tour and admitted that the batter's confidence had taken a hit during their three-match Test series against Australia.
The entire third day of the final Sydney Test was washed out, with Australia sitting comfortably on 475-4 with Usman Khawaja undefeated on 195 not out.
The Proteas already lost the Test series 2-0 and hoped to end their tour on a high, but a draw is now more likely at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Sammons, who has been under fire due to South Africa's longstanding poor performances with the bat, bluntly admitted they've slipped up in the batting department.
"Following up from that England series it was tough. We faced conditions that a lot of the players, bar Dean, hadn’t experienced before. That was a big learning experience. Confidence was dented," he said.
"Then we got to the first Test, in which conditions favoured the bowlers. From a confidence point of view, naturally the batters would have been hit. In the last Test, an area we had been improving on as a batting group — the mental errors we were making — we slipped up. We strayed out of our gameplan."
Australia won the opening Test by a six-wicket rout in Brisbane inside two days and then hammered the Proteas by an innings and 182 runs in Melbourne.
Sammons insists that the dressing room is still positive despite the state of things.
"Obviously, it has been a tough tour, but they're still looking forward to the challenge," said Sammons.
"We just spoke about playing, and that's how you improve. You don't improve by sitting in the dressing room on a rainy day.
"Whether you're making mistakes or having a good knock out there, that's the way you're going to grow. And I think that's important for this group is that we do embrace those challenges and look forward to the challenge because that's what Test cricket is about and that is how you're going to get better.
"So yes, it's been a tough tour, but there still is that positive approach to it."
The weather forecast in Sydney is likely to improve on Saturday, with less rain expected with a sunny day set on Sunday's final day.
Day 4 starts at 01:30 SA time.