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Durham - The Proteas were composed, clinical and comfortably the better side as they cruised to a 9-wicket win in their Cricket World Cup pool match against Sri Lanka at the Riverside Ground in Durham on Friday.
It was a performance that will leave South African fans shaking and scratching their heads as they ask themselves where this level of dominance was in the matches that mattered most.
The Proteas, finally, were the complete package as they bowled Sri Lanka out for 203 before Hashim Amla (80* off 105) and Faf du Plessis (96* off 103) shared an unbeaten 175-run stand to knock off the runs in almost nonchalant fashion.
It is just South Africa's second win of the competition to go with their triumph against minnows Afghanistan in Cardiff, and while it cannot revive their failed campaign, it has at least sent a reminder that this side should never be languishing near the foot of a World Cup log.
From the very first ball of the match when Kagiso Rabada had Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne caught in the slips, the Proteas looked a side completely at ease and free of any pressures that come with trying to win a World Cup.
There was laughing, hugging and high-fiving and the South Africans were genuinely enjoying their outing.
It was exactly the mindset that skipper Du Plessis said his side would bring into the tournament from day one, but that never materialised with poor results, injuries and off-field issues all contributing to a World Cup campaign that was on edge from the very beginning.
In Chester-le-Street on Friday, all of that pressure evaporated as the Proteas went back to being a limited overs side that has long been considered one of the best in the world.
Dwaine Pretorius, in his first match since the May 30 tournament opener against England, was the pick of the South African bowlers after Du Plessis won the toss and elected to bowl.
The 30-year-old kept a nagging line and length throughout and was rewarded with a return of 3/25 (10), the most economical figures in a completed 10-over spell for South Africa at the 2019 World Cup so far.
Sri Lanka, playing for their lives and in the race for a semi-final berth, simply never got going.
Opener Kusal Perera and No 3 Avishka Fernando made 30 each, and that was the best Sri Lanka could muster with as they limped to 203 all out.
Chris Morris (3/46 in 9.3) was also in the wickets, while Rabada recorded his best figures of the tournament with 2/36 (10).
The routine win over Afghanistan aside, it was easily South Africa's best bowling display of the tournament.
The run chase seemed effortless.
Sri Lanka did have Quinton de Kock (15 off 16) bowled by a Lasith Malinga peach to give them a sniff, but in Amla and Du Plessis they were met by two Proteas veterans who proved their class.
Amla, all at sea for most of the World Cup to date, was at his fluent best for the first time in a long time.
He pierced the offside regularly and clipped off his pads when the bowlers were too straight, and it was impossible not to consider how different South Africa's World Cup might have been had their most experienced batsman found this touch earlier in the competition.
Du Plessis was also at his best, playing some devastating shots in a knock that almost looked therapeutic for the skipper following a tough few weeks.
By the end, Amla and Du Plessis were in cruise control, walking singles in what became a procession.
Amla was lucky to survive after being given out LBW on 68, only for the DRS to show that the ball had pitched outside leg stump.
The win sees the Proteas move above the West Indies to eighth on the log with 5 points from 8 matches.
They will bring their tournament to a close with a trip to Manchester to take on Australia on July 6.
@LloydBurnard is in England covering the 2019 Cricket World Cup for Sport24 ...
