Some of their scalps could've been deemed fortuitous, but there was no denying the firepower of Lungi Ngidi and Lutho Sipamla as they spearheaded the Proteas' march towards a 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second Test at the Wanderers on Tuesday.
SCORECARD | Proteas v Sri Lanka, 2nd Test
The dynamic duo combined for seven wickets as they abruptly cut short the visitors' fightback from the previous day, dismissing them for 211 in their second dig and leaving their own batsmen with only 67 runs to clinch a 2-0 series whitewash.
That was achieved with some haste as Dean Elgar (36) and Aiden Markram (31) reached the target in under 14 overs.
Proceedings panned out eerily similar to the second day as the visitors lost their last six wickets for just 35 runs, mirroring South Africa's implosion of nine of 84.
In keeping with the trend of periods of batting prosperity being interspersed with bowling dominance, things didn't initially go the hosts' way as Dimuth Karunaratne, Sri Lanka's skipper and classy opener, continued to bat with the utmost ease and authority.
He reached a brilliant 10th Test century off just 123 deliveries and continued to build on a threatening fifth-wicket stand with a restrained Niroshan Dickwella.
But Sri Lanka's hero then turned villain as Karunaratne spooned a pull off Ngidi timidly to square leg.
It was a poor way to end a fine innings.
That curse of momentary indiscretion spilled over to the rest of the batting order as the Sri Lankans fell away badly.
Dickwella (36) launched a half-hearted swipe at a fuller delivery from Ngidi that only got a leading edge and travelled as far as mid-off, before Dasun Shanaka befell a similar fate off Sipamla's bowling with a poor chip to mid-on.
Wanindu Hasaranga's dismissal was the most cavalier of the lot, an ill-advised whoosh at straight one from Sipamla before the rookie Proteas seamer rounded off another impressive spell by cleaning up the tail more conventionally.
Ngidi ended with figures of 4/44, proving he's more than willing to shoulder the burden of being the Proteas' most experienced quick in the absence of Kagiso Rabada, but the real revelation has been Sipamla (3/40).
Since a chastening start to his Test career back on the first day in Centurion, the 22-year-old ends the series with an impressive haul of 10 wickets and looks certain to be a consistent presence in the national squad from now on.
