South Africa 317 for 6 (Smith 99, Dippenaar 89, Kallis 53) beat Sri Lanka 140 (Jayasuriya 46, Ntini 3-48) by 177 runs
Scorecard

Sri Lanka slumped to their fourth straight defeat by South Africa – and their heaviest ever against them – in the second one-dayer at Centurion. The margin – 177 runs – was a fair reflection on a one-sided contest and gave South Africa a 2-0 lead in the series with three to play. The match was as good as over once South Africa had posted a formidable 317 for 6 and, chasing under lights, Sri Lanka only fleetingly looked like mounting any sort of challenge.

South Africa's innings started slowly and at the halfway point of the innings a score of 250 appeared to be about par. But the second half was as entertaining for a decent crowd as the first half had been soporific. The anchor role was played by Graeme Smith, who made history by becoming the first man to be run out for 99 in a one-day international. His contribution, along with 89 from Boeta Dippenaar and a ballistic half-century from 24 balls from Jacques Kallis, carried South Africa past 300.

Smith looked horribly out of sorts at the start, making just four runs from his first 19 balls, and though he raised the tempo of his innings with some solid leg-side shots, South Africa had made just 114 for 2 after 25 overs. Herschelle Gibbs again fell early, for bowled by Pulasthi Gunaratne for 16, although Nicky Boje helped his team through the gears with a quickfire 28 from 34 balls.

It was a third-wicket partnership of 134 between Smith and Dippenaar that provided the backbone of the innings. But calamity struck for Smith when, on 99, he turned Sanath Jayasuriya into the leg side and set off for a quick single. Both he and Dippenaar hesitated in mid-pitch, but Smith was beaten by Mahela Jayawardene's throw by a good six inches (201 for 3).

At that point, South Africa's innings really exploded. Kallis, who has been hoarding runs in recent weeks, opened his shoulders in thrilling fashion and galloped to 53 in the blink of an eye. He was eventually run out after adding 88 for the fourth wicket with a liberated Dippenaar, and Mark Boucher followed in the same way moments later, when Chaminda Vaas hit the stumps with a throw from the boundary.

Sri Lanka started brightly, thanks to a typically brutal onslaught by Jayasuriya, bringing up their fifty in the ninth over. But Shaun Pollock removed Marvan Atapattu for 6, courtesy of a catch from Jonty Rhodes (51 for 1), and the dismissal of Jayasuriya in the next over, bowled by Andrew Hall for 46 (59 for 2), triggered a collapse in which the last eight wickets fall for 81 runs.

South Africa did bowl well – Makhaya Ntini was again the battering ram which broke down Sri Lanka's resistance – and their fielding was outstanding, but the manner of Sri Lanka's tame surrender must raise doubts about whether they can claw their way back into the series.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd