Cricket: Aussie captain Steve Smith 'embarrassed' to be at press conference

Steve Smith has showed class under pressure after fronting one of the most difficult press conferences of his career. Photo / AP.

Steve Smith has showed class under pressure after fronting one of the most difficult press conferences of his career.

Speaking with honesty in the face of a disastrous day for Australian cricket, Smith admitted he is "angry" and "quite sick" after seeing his team collapse to lose to South Africa by an innings and 80 runs in Hobart.

"Yeah it's (humiliating). I'm embarrassed to be sitting here to be honest with you," Smith said.

"Too many times we've lost wickets in clumps. 8-32 today, 10-85 in the first innings and you're not winning any games of cricket when you're doing that.

"It's happening way too consistently for my liking.

"We're not being resilient, we're not willing to tough it out and get through tough periods.

"Right now it's not good enough.

"I am hurting.

"I need players that are willing to get in the contest and get in the battle and have some pride in playing for Australia and pride in the baggy green. That's what I need.

"At the moment it's not good enough and I'm quite sick of saying it to be honest with you. It's happened five Tests in a row."

Smith begged Australian fans to keep supporting his team despite losing a disastrous fifth Test in succession.

His call for calm came as former English captain Michael Vaughan declared the Australian team has simply hit rock bottom.

Smith admitted his team has to find a way to bat with resilience when conditions don't favour them.

"Stick with us," Smith said.

"We're doing our best trying to turn things around. We're working hard and we have to find ways to be successful and to be resilient.

"This series is gone now and we've been outplayed, but we have a lot to play for. We've lost our last five Tests. We're better than that.

"Whether it is seaming, swinging or spinning, we are having trouble.

"We didn't have that fight and resilience. That's what I asked for from the boys and we didn't have that fight and weren't resilient enough.

"We're not finding way to get these big partnerships together and they're able to dictate terms.

"It's a bit of a low point for myself and for Australian cricket. We've lost the first two Tests and that hasn't happened for a while."