He then praised his ``troops'' for their team effort as the side left Welagedara Stadium in Kurunegala, victors by an innings and four runs over Sri Lanka A, and a 1-0 lead in the unofficial Test series.
Putting aside four days of frustration, frayed tempers and the sort of horrendous umpiring decisions which would make even sub-continent veterans seriously contemplate retirement, the South Africans displayed all the patience needed to overcome such trials and tribulations.
The result was a triumph which was more than a victory by an innings and four runs: the tourists needed, in the words of the coach, Graham Ford, to take 40 wickets to win this game.
As the side head for Colombo and later Matara, venue for the third unofficial Test, the side was able to relax and reflect on a quite remarkable, under the circumstances, victory
Yet it required the sort of self-belief, measured patience and a solid game plan to wring a deserving result out of this match. Part of that plan was the use of the two class spin bowlers, Derek Crookes and Nick Boje on the last day.
As both have played on the sub-continent before bowling with umpires reluctant to give decisions was not entirely a new experience. But it also had its moments of when explanations for turning down a decision became laughable.
Little wonder Crookes, who ended with four for 60 in 30 overs and delivered his off-spin without a break in humid-sapping heat, felt he was robbed of a career best eight-wicket haul.
Catches at the wicket, bat-pad decisions and lbw appeals had to be laughed off.
And Boje, who like Crookes has sub-continent experience just smiled as enigmatically as the umpire when decisions were turned down, until HD Ackerman picked up a superb catch to get rid of the Sri Lanka A captain Sajith Fernando. Lalith Jayasundara, who would battle to manage a third league game in South Africa finally gave a decision in favour of the bowler.
Even the lbw decision Crookes earned was a small step for ``mankind''.
Mental strength in another area is also needed. Travelling 90 minutes each way twice a day, forced to put up with umpires who had all but forgotten the lbw law, and a lack of urgency by ground staff yesterday after the rain, was as taxing as embarking on a mountain climbing trip with the hosts failing to supply the support systems.
Benkenstein and his combat unit rolled up their sleeves to get the covers off while the Sri Lanka A side and the umpires stood around waiting for who knows what.
As the spinners Boje and Crookes worked their way patiently through the wickets to take seven of the 10 needed, it became obvious that the Lankans had neither a game plan or an idea of what to do, apart from relying on the umpires to help them out of whatever fix they were in.
It was left to the new ball duo of Gary Gilder and Alan Dawson to wrap it up in a matter of eight balls. First Dawson got rid of T M Dilshan for a stubborn 15, with Ashwell Prince taking his second catch.
Then Gilder, the left-arm fast bowler, removed Chaminda Vaas with a nifty out-swinger which he whipped across the body followed by an successful lbw appeal against Malinda Bandara.