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Cape Town - Proteas skipper Faf du Plessis has praised his team for their clinical performance against Sri Lanka in the second Test at Newlands.
Du Plessis and his charges sealed a series victory with a comprehensive 282-run win in four days in Cape Town.
The Proteas skipper said that despite losing the toss on a tough wicket, their batsmen stuck to their task and batted excellently, particularly Dean Elgar (129) and Quinton de Kock (101).
Du Plessis described the New Year's Test match as "close to perfection", as Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada tore through the Sri Lankan batting line-up.
"From the first bowling innings we were in a dominant position so it was pretty much a perfect performance," said Du Plessis on Thursday.
"There was nothing that didn't go the way I wanted to and everything was planned and worked out perfectly.
"We needed to regroup (after the Australian Test loss in Adelaide) and in this series we've been really good. In conditions that is favourable for bowlers, I feel we've done excellent and that has been the difference between the two teams.
"We were relentless and we did not let the Sri Lankans get into the game once. Just those moments in the game, every time we stood up and it's always someone difference, which as a captain is the most pleasing thing."
On day three, Du Plessis decided to bat again after the Proteas bundled out the Sri Lankans for 110 in 43 overs - the islanders were 83 runs short of the 193-run target to avoid the follow-on.
Despite some questioning the decision to not enforce the follow-on, Du Plessis did not regret the decision at all, saying: "10 percent was to enforce the follow-on, while 90 percent was leaning towards batting again."
"For me it was putting them under the pump and taking them out of the game. I knew if we could get to 500, there was no way they were going to get it and to win the Test match on day four at lunch."
The Proteas will take on Sri Lanka in the third and final Test match at the Wanderers on Thursday, January 12.
