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Durham - For nearly a month now, Dwaine Pretorius has sat on the sidelines and watched the Proteas crumble at the Cricket World Cup.
Picked for the tournament opener against England at The Oval, the 30-year-old had a day to forget back on May 30.
South Africa were poor collectively as they went down by 104 runs, but Pretorius was as disappointing as anybody, carding figures of 0/42 (7) and running himself out for 1 (1) in the clumsiest manner.
It was a showing that ultimately cost him his place, with the national selectors favouring Chris Morris moving forward in the competition.
Pretorius was given another opportunity in Friday's dead-rubber against Sri Lanka at The Riverside in Durham, and this time he did not disappoint.
SCOREBOARD: SA v Sri Lanka
His 3/25 (10) is the most economical bowling performance for a 10-over spell at the 2019 World Cup so far, and it was exactly the individual effort the Proteas have been lacking all tournament.
The result will not change a thing for the already eliminated Proteas, but they will need 204 for what will be just their second victory in eight efforts at the World Cup.
South Africa were a visibly relaxed outfit all the way through the Sri Lankan innings, and with the pressures of the World Cup no longer there, they look a different side.
It is hugely perplexing and equally frustrating for South African supporters, who will wonder where this level of performance was when it mattered most.
There is still work to be done, though, and the Proteas will have to bat well on a wicket that looks to bet getting slower as the day progresses.
The Proteas won the toss and opted to bowl, and Kagiso Rabada (2/36 in 10) had a wicket with the very first ball of the match as Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (0 off 1) awkwardly fended a short ball to Faf du Plessis at second slip.
Rabada and Chris Morris (3/46 in 9.3) were then expensive with the overs that followed, and Pretorius was introduced in just the sixth over.
He was immediately accurate and curbed the flow of runs from Kusal Perera (30 off 34) and Avishka Fernando (30 off 29).
Fernando was Pretorius' first victim after a disgusting hoick that he could only sky to mid-off, but the ball from Pretorius that bowled Kusal Perera was one that came back into the left-hander and cramped him, forcing a bottom edge onto the stumps.
With Sri Lanka 72/3, South Africa were starting to take control and when Angelo Mathews (11 off 29) dragged one on from Morris, it had become 100/4.
Pretorius came back for his second spell and continued with his probing lines.
Kusal Mendis (23 off 51) had struggled to get going but went after one when Pretorius finally offered up some width. A mistimed shot saw Morris taking neat catch at cover, and Pretorius had his third.
JP Duminy (1/15 in 2) joined the party by removing Dhananjaya de Silva (24 off 41) with his first ball while Morris then had the struggling Jeevan Mendis (18 off 46) out caught on the fine leg fence.
Phehlukwayo (1/38 in 8) had Thisara Perera (21 off 25) caught by a diving Rabada on the midwicket fence, and Sri Lanka eventually limped to 203 all out.
@LloydBurnard is in England covering the 2019 Cricket World Cup for Sport24 ...
