Sometimes life is simpler when you lose than when you win. Bangladesh, for instance, have gone home - mercy! - to an investigation into their shambolic tour of South Africa.
Damn straight. Played seven, lost seven is the kind of sorry score that raises myriad questions, and they need to be answered honestly if the same mess isn't to be made again. Besides, now their suits have the opportunity to pretend to do something.
But what of the South Africans?
Their next game is against that other bunch of losers, Zimbabwe, and it's a gimmick: a four-day, pink-ball, day/night test at St George's Park on December 26.
Good luck taking that seriously.
Only when South Africa and India walk out for the first test at Newlands on January 5 can the international season be said to have started in a significant sense.
No amount of marketing or squawking to the contrary - by, mainly, TV types stuck with the wretched job of selling whatever cricket is out there, regardless of relevance - can change that.
Thing is, January 5 is two months from today; two months in which the players South Africa will depend on to beat India and then Australia will . do what, exactly?
Play in the franchise T20 competition is the kneejerk answer. Of course, but it's complicated. Even though a slew of hit-and-giggles at that level will provide a better test of the ability of South Africa's finest than playing the likes of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, the stars' presence will be entirely to the tournament's benefit.
Spectators will see more of Kagiso Rabada and batsmen will gather war stories from battles with him. But Rabada isn't going to take his next leap up the ladder by scrapping it out with those who aren't yet, never will be or no longer are good enough to play at the highest level.
How, then, do those who will get into it with the Indians and the Australians make the best use of these next two months?
By making a clear assessment of what was valuable about the juggernaut they were against Bangladesh and will likely be against Zimbabwe, and writing off everything else as cosmetic enhancement.
Look past South Africa's emphatic victories over Bangladesh and there are three reasons to be cheerful: the coming of Aiden Markram, Rabada's return to form, and the easiness with which AB de Villiers has been accepted back into the fold.
Markram has been afforded the luxury of being able to make himself at home against some of the most toothless bowling and on some of the flattest pitches he will encounter during what should be a long career. It's one thing to be given that opportunity, quite another to take it. Markram took it wonderfully well.
Rabada's numbers are up there with the best. But beyond that something went out of his game after his explosion onto the scene - something sharp and nasty and as important to classy bowlers as wickets. Bangladesh's padded-up bunnies have allowed him to retrieve this quality.
De Villiers spent South Africa's test series against England and Bangladesh helping to care for his children and launching ever more out-of-touch messages into the twittersphere. His family will be sad to see less of him now that he's back, but those odd thoughts of his will be now confined to the dressing room. Clearly, his batting hasn't suffered and he seems what he hasn't for years: at ease.
Good things, all. Thanks Bangladesh.
