The world's hottest Test team savoured a classic win, then put the feet up to ponder what's next.
No, not Australia's Test squad on their a dozen days between Ashes Tests.
The South Africans, now with almost a dozen months between Tests, after conquering India and a landmark feat in Pakistan.
Australia surely now reconsiders: the nation's loss to the Proteas in the World Test Championship last June wasn't some fluke; an outlier; a bad couple of days for Pat Cummins and his team.
It was part of a not-so subtle shift in Test cricket's on-field power base.
The South Africans took down the Australians at Lord's during a 10-game Test winning streak for Temba Bavuma's team.
The stretch ended in Pakistan last month with a loss; followed by South Africa's first Test win there in 18 years.
The Proteas then went to India and won 2-0, their first Test series win there in 24 years.
The achievement was capped by a ruthless 408-run victory in the second Test - India's heaviest Test defeat, in terms of runs.
Aiden Markram - man of the match in the World Test final - took nine catches, a record for a fielder in a match.
"As a group, you've got to believe that you can compete against the best in their backyard and get into the battle and see where it gets you," Markram said.
Of South Africa's nine Test wins this calendar year, only one - in January - was at home.
Triumphs were celebrated in England, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and India.
But now, just as the Proteas shake-up the world Test order, they're sent for a long spell under cricket's quirky scheduling.
South Africa's next frontier is Australia: a three-Test series in late September-early October.
Australia, post-Ashes, also face a lengthy Test wait with northern Queensland and Darwin potential hosts of a two-Test series against Bangladesh in August next year, ahead of the South African series.
Before then, South Africa will set about accelerating its other ambition - to host the world's second-best T20 competition behind the Indian Premier League (IPL).
South Africa's T20 competition - as in Australia, timed around the Christmas-New Year festive season - has all six franchises sold to IPL owners, a model currently being considered by Cricket Australia for its BBL.
CURRENT WORLD TEST RANKINGS:
1 - Australia (124 points)
2 - South Africa (116 points)
3 - England (112)
4 - India (104)
5 - New Zealand (96)
