Rugby World Cup sniffles (lets the honest, there’s no fever in India) are still persistent and given that the two countries who lit up Paris last weekend had a cricket-rematch of sorts, some sort of comparison had been in order.

South Africa had just finished off another sterling batting effort that fetched 357/4 – their eighth consecutive total over 300 when they’ve been asked to take first strike – when some X users were already tweeting that they felt uncomfortable over whether it was going to be enough.

It’s not an entirely unreasonable view to hold because the Black Caps did make 383/9 in thrillingly failing to overhaul an Australian target of 389 in Dharamshala in their previous outing.

“Well, I suppose the Boks also had the All Blacks by the throat at half-time and that we all know how that turned out.”

There are a lot of things the Proteas can still learn from Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber’s immortals, but one thing this national cricket team has been doing well is take full toll when they are in a powerful position.

Your winning margins batting first don’t range between 102 and 229 runs, nor boast a net run rate over +2, if you’re slacking off at stages.

Before one gets carried away though, it’s important to keep in mind that while this triumph all but assures the Proteas’ passage into the semi-finals, this still was merely a group stage affair, not a suffocating, white-knuckled final.

It shouldn’t detract from another compelling showing by a team that – at least when they bat first – is close to approaching the plan where they know their game inside-out.

Unsurprisingly, it started with Quinton de Kock, the enigma that’s now engaged beast mode.

His 114 off 116 deliveries was his fourth century of this campaign, extending his South African record for most at a single World Cup and equaling Kumar Sangakkara’s number for second-most ever.

The electric left-hander also becomes the first Protea to reach the magical 500-run mark in a showpiece edition and, as he’s been for some time now, remains 2023’s most gluttonous run-getter.

The interesting thing about this innings was that it was somewhat out of character for him, in the flakiest way possible, naturally.

On Tuesday, the thoughtful and sometimes intense Rassie van der Dussen was pulsed on his perceived under-appreciated role as the proverbial grafter, scrambler even of a rampant top six.

RECAP | Proteas all but secure semi-final in thrashing New Zealand

“Yeah, Quinny, Temba and I often joke about it, saying the reason [Heinrich] Klaasen and the guys get millions at IPL is because they can come in and hit sixes at the back,” he had said with a wry smile.

“But it’s a role that needs to be done, and from my side and other guys as well, we’re really happy to be doing it. In our team, it’s amazing to see what you can achieve when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit or when you don’t care who gets the credit for getting the win or getting over the line or putting in a good performance.

“If that’s going to help us win matches and win the World Cup, then I’ll be happy not to be thanked for that.”

Van der Dussen cajoled cheerily with De Kock in 200-run stand for the second-wicket, but this time, he wasn’t the guy doing the donkey work.

Instead, it was his partner – who was dropped by Glenn Phillips at backward point on 12 off a sharp, sliced drive – who bided his time and scored his runs in spurts.

51 of the deliveries he faced were dot balls.

Nonetheless, it was perfectly in keeping with South Africa’s manner of not being bothered too much by the distinctly retro recipe of laying a platform and then exploding at the end.

In fact, there had been a stage in their match-winning alliance that one could question whether they were taking it too easy against a Black Cap attack compromised by the absence of Matt Henry, who couldn’t complete his sixth over because of a hamstring injury.

What the local cricketing fraternity, however, has forgotten a bit is that Van der Dussen has his own penchant for galloping at a giddying pace if he’s batting deep into an innings.

After reaching his half-century off 61 deliveries, there were times when the Kiwis’ perseverance threatened to dislodge him in the quest to play a few bigger shots.

He gave a difficult chance skying a lofted drive to long-off on 72 and made a full toss clatter into Jimmy Neesham’s forearm, which probably also should’ve counted as a half-an-opportunity.

Once he reached a second ton of the campaign off 101 balls – and getting dropped on 109 again – Van der Dussen reveled in flaunting his enforcer abilities, eventually striking a brilliant 133 off 118 that WILL be appreciated this time round.

Promoted to No 4 to ostensibly keep the left-right batting combination going, David Miller enjoyed himself in a 30-ball 53.

Evidently undaunted by the possibility of New Zealand launching a Dharamshala-esque chase, the Proteas attack were ruthless in scalping victims in the power-play again.

Lanky Marco Jansen (3/31), christened “Slim Reaper” on social media, was (again) the instigator when his extra bounce overwhelmed Devon Conway, who could merely awkwardly fend the delivery to slip.

The 2.06m giant and Lungi Ngidi kept Rachin Ravindra, the 23-year-old breakout star of the tournament to date, quiet for a period before employing another of his tried-and-tested tactics, the short-ball digged in and floated to deep fine leg.

Ravindra fell straight into the trap.

From there, things went barmy for the New Zealanders.

Will Young, having just crisply pulled Gerald Coetzee to the boundary, tamely fell off the next delivery when the rookie quick bowled a beauty outside off on a fuller length and his opponent just hung out his willow.

Kagiso Rabada was menacing and accurate in having Tom Latham snapped up at short cover off a leading edge, before Keshav Maharaj confirmed his increased stature as a magnificent white-ball tweaker with a devastating spell off 4/46.

He tempted an impatient Daryl Mitchell into going for a floater that was sublimely caught by Miller in the deep – it went miles up – and castled Mitchell Santner – who must’ve been wondering how he failed to gain any purchase on this track as a left-arm spinner himself – going back to one that jagged back sharply.

His dismissal of Neesham was the proverbial delicacy, a cracker that had his opponent lunging forward and leaving a gap between bat and pad that was breached with sharp turn.

With Jansen trapping Tim Southee in front, the media box’s quip felt rather silly, even if Phillips showed some late defiance with a punchy 60.