The series showed how important Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor are to the batting operation at No's 3 and 4. As South African quick Morne Morkel admitted on Sunday, take two of their senior performers out and they, too, would not find filling the voids that easy either.
In everything New Zealand do until January 7, when the World Cup 15 must be named, that tournament will be the focus. Sure, they will want success for its own sake against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates over November and December - and Pakistan have just demonstrated how challenging they will be by walloping Australia in the first test of their series.
But every player should be aware of what is at stake.
Positives out of the South African series?
Set aside Ronchi's shining performance with the bat, and the five seamers used showed - although all need more work - that there is a real battle ahead for what is likely to be four cup spots for the specialists.
Left arm spinner Dan Vettori completed a tidy return to the international game.
The fielding was pleasingly sharp - Martin Guptill, Brendon and Nathan McCullum on the job inside the 30m circle. No catches were spilled.
South African Faf du Plessis labelled New Zealand the best fielding outfit in the game, no small praise considering he is a standout in a side who are pretty sharp themselves.
The problems? Yesterday's rain was a shame on several counts, including a missed chance for Guptill and Jimmy Neesham at the top of the order.
Guptill has battled to find his touch, managing 16 runs off 58 balls; Neesham is an experiment. Tom Latham is awaiting his turn. How they work that conundrum in the UAE will be interesting.
Corey Anderson lasted only five balls for a solitary single in his two innings. Anderson and Neesham's combined fifth/sixth bowler work with the ball in the two completed games produced 18-1-120-4. Not good enough.
Conditions in the UAE will be as far removed as possible from New Zealand and Australia at cup time - or any time for that matter.
Still, Brendon McCullum reckons getting away for a few weeks as the anticipation rises might not be a bad thing, tying down loose planning ends and a time to bond.
But some wins wouldn't hurt either.
Delay keeps Ryder in frame
The New Zealand A players to travel to United Arab Emirates next month now won't be named until Friday.
That means further delay in clarifying whether Jesse Ryder is back inside the New Zealand cricket tent or not.
New Zealand Cricket have made it clear they are reluctant to muddy the waters over two distinct issues - a team naming, and whether Ryder is back in favour after being dumped out last February for late night misbehaviour and concerns over how serious he is about returning to the national side.
The hold up in naming the A group is over a fractured finger suffered last week by opener Hamish Rutherford. He is doing further testing today, having been named in the test squad to travel on Thursday to the UAE to play Pakistan.
"If he's unavailable for that then he will be replaced and obviously that will filter down through the New Zealand A set-up," coach Mike Hesson said after yesterday's third ODI against South Africa at Seddon park in Hamilton was washed out.
He remained tight-lipped on whether Ryder would be part of that NZ A group, who are playing a series of 50-over games in the UAE.
"It's a big decision for us if we are to reintroduce Jesse, not so much to New Zealand but back into the NZ A set-up."
He confirmed Ryder is available for the A squad and would be considered.
