Sri Lanka defeat hosts SAin opener
SRI LANKA shocked hosts South Africa by winning the opening Champions Trophy encounter in a rain-affected match at Centurion.
The heavens opened in the 38th over with South Africa way behind on the Duckworth-Lewis method, handing Sri Lanka a deserved 55-run win and two points. Tillakaratne Dilshan’s rapid century helped Sri Lanka set a daunting total of 319, and after Ajantha Mendis removed dangermen Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy in successive balls, the hosts never fully recovered.
Graeme Smith won the toss, electing to field first but Dilshan signalled his intent by crashing the first ball to the fence for four. Although Sanath Jayasuriya fell early to the impressive Dale Steyn, Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera both hit half centuries to propel Sri Lanka over 300.
Smith made a fluent 58 but Hashim Amla went cheaply and, after Kallis fell for 41, wickets tumbled and South Africa never kept up with the required run rate.