Cricket: Embarrassed Aussies seek redemption

Vice captain Shane Watson says the Australian cricketers who were part of the humiliation in the first Test are desperate for another chance to redeem themselves in Johannesburg.

Watson said no player was more capable than any other and the Australians were determined to save face and square the two-match series.

Amid speculation over potential personnel changes, there's no hiding from the fact the Australians are shell-shocked. But Watson said they must stop feeling sorry for themselves and get back on the job.

"Easy. We need to turn it around. We need to get out there and show more discipline,'' he said.

"I'm really looking forward to showing what I can do with the bat and set up the foundation of the innings. I haven't done that for a little while, everyone is feeling the same way.

"The way to turn it around is to get out there and show them what we can do.

"I hope we get a chance to make amends. In certain times in this game we did some good things and then we did some pretty horrendous things as well. There's no individual that was any more to blame than anyone, it was a team performance and we got ourselves in a bad position.

"We all have to come together and show some big improvement to square the series.''

In one of the most topsy turvy Tests in history, Watson's contrasting fortunes summed the circumstances up perfectly.

In South Africa's first innings, he bowled the first over after lunch and soon had the second quickest five-wicket haul from the start of a spell in Test history.

But minutes later he started the 47 collapse when he was out in the first over of Australia's second innings for four.

Then on the morning of day three he dropped a sitter at slip which would have sent century-maker Hashim Amla back to the pavilion and given Australia at least some hope of making things interesting.

There is big call for Watson to be moved down the batting order to help him balance his responsibilities.

"I'd give up all of those five wickets to be able to get some runs because I know in the end that would have been more valuable,'' he said.

"The thing about being an all-rounder is you take your good days but I know how valuable runs would have been even more so than my wickets at that time.

"It's a part where you try and get both aspects of my game going as well as they can but unfortunately one part especially didn't really come together at all on a wicket where it really needed to.

"The (dropped catch) was a disappointing thing because it does change the course of the day.

"I have to keep improving my catching. I can't afford to drop a regulation slips catch.''

- AAP