Proteas batting coach hopes Cricket SA can 'think outside of box' to improve domestic game

Proteas batting coach Justin Sammons believes that more focus should be placed on South Africa's first-class game to help the national team's cause.

The Proteas have had a dismal performance with the bat in Australia, resulting in scores of 152, 99, 189 and 204 in the first two Tests. In response to Australia's 475/4, they were on the ropes at 149/6 at the end of the fourth day, needing a further 127 to make the hosts bat again at the Sydney Cricket Ground. 

South Africa has already lost the three-match Test series 2-0 as their batting struggles continue unabated on a sluggish, but negotiable SCG surface where Dean Elgar (15), Sarel Erwee (18) and Heinrich Klaasen (2) failed another batting Test.

Khaya Zondo (39) and Temba Bavuma (35) provided another middle-order rescue act but couldn't take it deep into the fourth evening while SA's best batter this series in Kyle Verreynne (19) also couldn't see out the fourth day.

SA will resume the fifth day with Marco Jansen (10*) and Simon Harmer (9*) holding what remains of the batting fort. 

SCORECARD | Australia v Proteas - 3rd Test

The domestic system, whose best products are in Australia, sees the eight first-division sides playing seven games instead of 10 in the CSA Four-Day Franchise Series, while domestic teams will play between 21-24 matches across all three competitions this season.

Sammons insists that players need more experience and it starts at home in the domestic structure.

"There's no substitute for experience and you can only gain experience by playing. So the more games you play, the better you're gonna get, and the more lessons you're going to learn," Sammons told reporters on Friday.

"It is an important focus area for us as a country in terms of how we look after the