Bavuma and bowlers spearhead clever and clinical Proteas' big victory over Dutch in Benoni

At Willowmoore Park

An orange stumbling block? What orange stumbling block?

The Proteas, quite emphatically, brushed off any suggestions that the plucky Netherlands could catch them off-guard again with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory in the second ODI between the two sides here in Benoni on Friday night.

To some, the trauma of last year’s early elimination from the T20 World Cup – when the Dutch shocked their more illustrious opponents in Adelaide – still enjoyed some top-of-mind awareness, but not among the men who mattered.

South Africa’s calmness and efficiency on a day where a dodgy weather forecast added some unnecessary extra tension was notable.

After all, a no-result would’ve, in all likelihood, meant Temba Bavuma and his teammates would have to go to Zimbabwe in June and qualify there for the 50-over showpiece in India later this year.

Instead, they can still breathe going into Sunday’s Pink ODI at the Wanderers.

RECAP | Proteas v Netherlands

Rendering the Proteas’ mindset even more impressive to witness was that they could easily have started becoming frustrated and even panicky when the opening powerplay didn’t quite go according to plan.

Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen delivered contrasting spells as the new ball pair as the Netherlands opening pair of Vikram Singh and Max O’Dowd put on 58 in 11 overs.

Rabada cut a frustrated figure as his deliveries did virtually nothing to trouble the openers, which was in stark contrast to the prodigious movement the lanky Jansen received.

The former eventually lost some of his discipline, notably when Singh swung him twice for six over the mid-wicket region, allowing the visitors to absorb the wiles of Jansen, who bowled a superb spell for no reward.

Yet, in a testament to his