Sammons admits Proteas batters' confidence has taken a hit Down Under: 'We slipped up'

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.

READ | Day 3 washout raises Khawaja conundrum for Australia in Sydney Test, Proteas relieved 

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