Pollock had no hesitation in bowling first after winning the toss in the morning and decision was soon justified as Sri Lanka re-lived the nightmare of the first Test earlier in the month on the same ground when they bowled out for 192 and 130.

Both Pollock and Ntini made early inroads with the new ball, exploiting a green pitch offering plenty of lateral movement, to leave the visitors reeling on 30 for five in just the 13th over of the innings.

Sri Lankan duo Mahela Jayawardene and Russel Arnold briefly raised the tourists hopes with a 65 run partnership for the sixth wicket but Ntini broke their resistance in his second spell.

Ntini claimed three for 22 from his 10 overs and Pollock finished with four for 18 when he trapped last man Pulasthi Gunaratne lbw to wrap up the innings in the 47th over.

Marvan Atapattu started the morning’s capitulation in Makhaya Ntini’s first over of the morning as he was caught behind off a lifting delivery that jagged back and caught the inside edge.

Debutante Jehan Mubarak, recently selected to swim for Sri Lanka, failed to grab his opportunity to impress the selectors, lasting just ten balls before being palpably lbw to a Shaun Pollock inswinger.

Jayasuriya - back in charge after recovering from an ankle injury but not back in form – drove one boundary through the off-side before being caught at third man after a characteristic off-side slash.

Pollock grabbed his second wicket of the morning in the 11th over when the left-handed Kumar Sangakkara – Sri Lanka’s sledger in-chief at Centurion – completely mistimed a back-footed drive and was caught in the covers.

Aravinda de Silva briefly threatened a fightback, playing one glorious cover drive, but was then caught behind off an inside edge and Sri Lanka were left reeling on 30 for five.

But after Pollock (3 for 16) and Ntini (2 for 13) completed their fine opening, Mahela Jayawardene and Russel Arnold finally established a partnership of note.

Arnold had been in wretched form during the Test series, scoring just runs in four innings, but in the one-day game he boasts the best average of the Sri Lankans and he immediately looked more at ease.

However, Arnold was then snared as Pollock called Ntini back into the attack. The 28-year-old left-hander tried to work the first through the leg-side but was caught at mid-off off a leading edge.

The breakthrough ended a 65 run partnership and was followed soon after by the dismissal of Jaywardene, who brilliantly caught one-handed in the gully by Herschelle Gibbs off a full-blooded cut stroke.

Jaywardene finished the top scorer with 31 from 53 deliveries.

Chaminda Vaas was left unbeaten at the close on 19 not out as the Sri Lanka tail were moped up by the South Africans.