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Cape Town - Dwaine Pretorius was in Sunfoil Series action for the Lions against the Titans in Potchefstroom while the Proteas were beating Australia in the first Test in Perth.
Little did he know that he would be on a flight to Hobart just a few days later to join the national side as a replacement for the injured Dale Steyn.
It is an opportunity that the 27-year-old considers a dream come true, and he can't wait to join his team-mates even though there is a good chance he won't play.
Reflecting on the first Test, Pretorius gave some valuable insights into what he considers the reasons behind the success of this group.
The Proteas were bowled out for 242 in their first innings while, at the end of day one, Australia were 105/0 in reply.
At that point it looked like their would only be one winner, but South Africa turned the match around in spectacular fashion.
Pretorius was watching whenever he had a chance.
"It was absolutely special. That's what makes Test cricket so special; that you can have a bad day and lose the day and still come back," he told Sport24.
"If you play well, you can still win the game. It's never over.
"The guys showed a massive amount of fight. Everyone contributed in that side after Dale went down.
"That's what makes the Proteas such a good side at the moment; you're not just reliant on one or two players but they rely on the whole team to contribute."
Pretorius has three ODI caps to his name after he was involved in a one-off clash against Ireland and then the five-match series against Australia back in September.
He says that time spent in the national set-up will make things easier for him upon his arrival in Australia this time around.
"Now that I know the set-up and how it works I'm much more comfortable," Pretorius said.
"I know what to expect from the guys. I'm just excited ... not as nervous as I was before."
