Langeveldt hopes Proteas can bat for 2 days to save Melbourne Test

Proteas bowling coach Charl Langeveldt hopes that their batters can deliver and bat for the next two days to save the second Test against Australia at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

On Wednesday, Australia dominated with the bat as Alex Carey scored his maiden Test century as the hosts declared 575-8.

The Proteas still need to chase a mammoth 371 runs to put Australia in again, and have already lost the skipper, Dean Elgar, late on cloudy day three.

South Africa sits on 15-1 with opener Sarel Erwee (7*) and Theunis de Bruyn (6*) set to resume against an injury-ridden Australian pace attack.

The Proteas were bundled out for 189 all out thanks to Cameron Green's maiden five-wicket haul on day one.

Despite half-centuries by Marco Jansen and Kyle Verreynne, South Africa's fragile batting line-up has been unable to make a total of 200 in their last seven Test innings.

Langeveldt hopes that South Africa's batting line-up can do the work and save the side for a potential crushing innings defeat.

"It's about batting time, as I think we need to take it hour by hour," Langeveldt said.

"I think on day four, the first hour will be important, along with the ones that'll follow, from where we try and get runs while batting time.

"We'll have to see how it goes from there and if we can bat two days, I think that'll be brilliant."

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The Proteas bowlers toiled hard from day one, as David Warner brought up a double century, along with Carey's ton.

On Wednesday, SA only managed to take five wickets, with their pace attack unable to use the overcast conditions to their advantage.

Anrich Nortje was the pick of the Proteas attack, who toiled in the field for an entire day