Ordinary Australia's last chance to restore an ounce of pride

In the death throes of a horror tour, that feels like it will never end, a beleaguered Australia were pummelled by South Africa during another beat-down in the penultimate day of what has been a wretched series for the visitors.

Excruciatingly, Australia relented under interminable South African batting which stretched out the misery until tea. With the Proteas' quicks suffering injury setbacks coupled with their innate conservatism streak rearing, South Africa firstly stonewalled in a dour first session before sinking the boot into a flagging Australia attack.

There was no let-up for the jaded tourists with hard-nosed captain Faf du Plessis