CONVENTIONAL wisdom has it that you learn more when you lose, but SA picked up a pile of homework despite their handsome victory over New Zealand on Tuesday.

AB de Villiers's team won the first one-day international in Mount Maunganui by six wickets with 11 balls to spare. They will return to Bay Oval late tonight (SA time) to try and clinch the three-match series.

"New Zealand are a very street-smart side in the way they go about their bowling and fielding," JP Duminy said yesterday. "So it was quite difficult to manipulate the field [on Tuesday]. They're very good with their lines and lengths that they bowl on their wickets."

If that sounds like something admiring opponents would say about SA, there was more in the same vein from Duminy.

"It's a tick in their box, their aggressiveness in the field. As a batsman you always have that intimidating feeling if fielders are in your space.

"There's definitely something we can take out of it - just keeping that aggression intact. No matter what the game situation, trying to squeeze the batting side.

"You feel that sort of pressure when you're out in the middle and you've got to come up with ways to counter it."

All of which, of course, is geared to ensuring SA are primed for February 15, when they play their World Cup opener against Zimbabwe in Hamilton. Duminy was honest enough not to try and pretend otherwise.

"Yes, you want to have one eye on the World Cup and prepare for that. You want to go into the tournament giving yourself the best chance of winning," he said.

SA have this series, five ODIs in Australia and five more at home against West Indies - if that tour takes place, what with the West Indians cancelling matches in India because of a pay dispute - to find that balance.