Former Protea blames 'sideshows' and domestic system for embarrassing defeat to NZ

Former Proteas spinner Pat Symcox opened up on South Africa recent demise in the opening Test in New Zealand.

The Proteas slumped to an innings and 276 run defeat to New Zealand - their second-worst in Test history - inside three days at the gloriously green Hagley Oval in Christchurch this week.

The post-match scenes were a far cry from those that followed the high of defeating India last month, as a bemused Protea outfit struggled to find the answers for an incredibly disappointing performance in all three facets of the game.

Symcox, who wore the whites 20 times for the Proteas, blamed the off-field issues involving coach Mark Boucher and an underperforming domestic league for the loss.

"If we are to be brutally honest about our cricket right now, this kind of result was always going to be a distinct possibility given all the distracting sideshows that have been happening of late," wrote the 61-year-old on Facebook.

"The problem is clearly much bigger than the players being able to hit a half-volley or bowl a ball in a good area consistently.

"The hard part for many is to be able to divorce the cricket part of the problem from the other issues.

"For instance, dealing with the fact that the provincial system isn't producing younger talent that are convincing enough to the selectors to pick them.

"Some argue that the system itself is weak and floored. True or not, one cannot say for sure.

"It also doesn't help the cause when two players like Quinton de Kock and Faf are still playing top cricket around the world and aren't competing for a place in a team desperately short of experience both on and off the field."

The Proteas will look to bounce back in the second and final Test, which starts on 25 February.