Proteas captain Dean Elgar says he has to keep reminding his team that “they’re not crap cricketers”.
South Africa suffered an innings-and-182-run defeat to Australia at the MCG, having lost the first Test in Brisbane by six wickets inside two days.
On Thursday, the tourists were bowled out for 204 in their second innings – the first time in eight innings that they had reached 200. Temba Bavuma top-scored with 65.
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Elgar – who has scored three, two, 26 and nought in the series so far – said “inexperience” had cost his team at the MCG and that they would continue to back the batsmen in the squad.
“You have to keep going with what you started with when you came here. For me, it’s about that positive affirmation you have to give to the greater group.
“I’m not going to go away from that because I feel that the guys that we have here are talented and hard-earned first-class cricketers.
“They’re just lacking experience at Test level, but we still have to show faith in them. Hopefully, that’ll turn things around because, in cricket, you’re often just one knock away from being in form.
“You have to keep reminding the guys that they’re not crap cricketers because the game is 80% in the mind and 20% in skill.”
However, Elgar admitted the Proteas bowlers had displayed more character than the batsmen in Melbourne.
“Purely out of this Test, a lot more character was shown with the ball, even though the Aussies batted us into the ground.
“I saw a lot of character coming out in our bowling ranks, but maybe not as much in our batting, with Kyle Verreynne putting in decent performances with the bat.”
