Hashim Amla hit a century before South Africa's opening bowlers sent Sri Lanka crashing as the host nation swept to a huge 258-run win in the first one-day international at Boland Park here on Wednesday. Replying to a South African total of 301 for eight, Sri Lanka lost their first six wickets for 13 runs before being bowled out for 43, a record low total for the tourists.
Opening batsman Amla anchored the South African innings and made 112 off 128 balls. He shared in partnerships of 144 for the second wicket with Jacques Kallis (72) and 91 for the third wicket with new captain AB de Villiers (52). It was always likely to be a tough target for Sri Lanka to chase but their hopes were dashed almost immediately as they made a disastrous start with new ball bowlers Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe both taking three wickets in their opening spells.
Morkel finished with four for 10 to take the man of the match award, while the left-armed Tsotsobe claimed three for 19. Sri Lankan captain Tillekeratne Dilshan acknowledged that South Africa had produced "fantastic bowling" at the start of his team's innings. "After that it was very difficult to come back," he said.
Dilshan took heart from Sri Lanka's comeback in the Test series when they won the second Test after losing the first by an innings. "The same thing must happen again," he said. De Villiers said it had been a "dream start" to his captaincy. "It was a quality team performance," he said. Sri Lanka's previous lowest total was 55 against the West Indies in Sharjah in 1986/87. Their collapse happened on the same ground where they dismissed Canada for a then world record low 36 during the 2003 World Cup.