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SYDNEY, Monday (AFP) - Bemused South African captain Shaun Pollock is at a loss to know what tactics and team can prevent a 3-0 Test series whitewash against Australia.

The South Africans, thrashed by nine wickets in the second Melbourne Test Saturday following their humiliating 246-run hiding in Adelaide, have only a couple of days to come up with the right answers for Wednesday's start of the final Sydney Test.

Pollock, burdened with the worries of South African cricket on and off the field, admitted in the wake of the four-day loss at the Melbourne Cricket Ground that a remedy was not immediately apparent.

"I don't know, you tell me," was Pollock's response when asked how his Proteas could redress the problems they have encountered against Steve Waugh's well-drilled Australians in the billed world championship of cricket.

Pollock had few positive things to say after his world second-ranked team went down with only Jacques Kallis showing fighting spirit with his 99.

"We had high hopes when we came to Australia (but) at the end of day we've been beaten by a better team," Pollock said after the Melbourne defeat.

"It was billed as the the championship of Test cricket and we've definitely been disappointing -- and maybe putting too much pressure on ourselves has caused it."

South African teams have been accused of being too obsessed with beating Australia and the indications are that their steely focus had prevented the team from relaxing and enjoying itself.

There have been suggestions of a split in the camp but Pollock denied there was any disharmony.

However, he admitted his side was struggling to cope with the losses after winning 11 and drawing one of its past 12 series.

"In sport there are a lot of ups and downs and you take quite a few knocks but we haven't taken that many in the recent past," he said.

There may be a surprise call-up for left-arm spinner Nicky Boje for the final Test.

Boje missed the start of the tour with injury but was due here this week for the one-day series.

Pollock hinted he could be considered for the Test as well.

"Maybe Nicky Boje might be out in time," Pollock said Sunday. "It was always the case that as soon as he was fit and ready he was going to come over."

Pollock's captaincy has been criticised on tour as lacking imagination and by his own admission there was some truth to that analysis.

"As much as we came up with ideas, their tactics were better equipped for Australian conditions.

"As captain, you try to lead your side in the best way. The tactics are the ones you think will win you the game but sometimes no matter how many ideas you come up with, you come up against a better side."

He also admitted Australia was a more skilful side, with very few of the South Africans stacking up one-on-one with their opponents.

"Their skills have been better than ours," he said. "We were inferior in all parts of the game. Our fielding hasn't been as good as theirs, they batted really well and their bowling has been better than ours as well."

Pollock's own bowling has been down on his usual high standards but despite the fact Adelaide and Melbourne offered contrasting pitches, he blamed the conditions, saying "the wickets haven't been conducive to my type of bowling".

The one saving grace for South Africa is that it can still take over as the No.1 side in the world if it wins the return series in February-March back home, in which case all will be forgiven by its fans.

"The Test championship is something in the back of our minds," said Pollock. "If we play good cricket and win that series we'll be classed as champions."

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