Amla slams ton as South Africa trounces Lanka

Sri Lanka was in the match initially when Niroshan Dickwella took the attack to the South Africans along with veteran opener Upul Tharanga. Dickwella made 41 off 33 balls with five fours and a six while Tharanga scored 57 off 69 balls as Sri Lanka maintained a run rate of six in the first 20 overs. 

However, excellent fielding by the South Africans halted the Sri Lankan progress. Leg-spinner Imran Tahir took three wickets as Sri Lanka slumped from 116 for two to 155 for six. 

Earlier, Amla became the fastest batsman to achieve the milestone of 25 One-day International hundred, taking 151 innings, which surpassed India’s Virat Kohli (162 matches). 

The 34-year-old batsman entered the Champions Trophy in the midst of a purple patch as he hit two hundreds in the latter part of the IPL and continued with his good form in England. 

During his 103-run knock, which ended in a run out, Amla shared a 145-run stand for the second wicket with Faf du Plessis, who hit a 70-ball 75. Amla scored at a decent pace, taking 115 balls for his knock that featured only five fours and two sixes. 

It was a slow start, though, for the Proteas after being asked to bat with Amla and Quinton De Kock (23) putting on just 44 in 12 overs. The elegant left-hander nicked a full-length ball off Pradeep in the slips.

South Africa H Amla run out (Mendis/Dickwella) 103, Q de Kock c Dickwella b Pradeep 23, F du Plessiss c Chandimal b Pradeep 75, AB de Villiers c Kapugedera b Prasanna 4, D Miller c Prasanna b Lakmal 18, JP Duminy (not out) 38, C Morris run out (Tharanga) 20, W Parnell (not out) 7. Extras (lb 1, w 10) 11. Total (for six wickets in 50 overs). 299. FoW: 1-44, 2-189, 3-194, 4-226, 5-232, 6-277. Bowling: L Malinga 10-0-57-0, R Lakmal 100-51-1, N Pradeep 10-0-54-2, A Gunaratne 10-0-64-0, S Prasanna 10-0-72-1.

Sri Lanka N Dickwella c Parnell b Morkel 41, U Tharanga c Miller b Imran Tahir 57, K Mendis c de Villiers b Morris 11, D Chandimal run out (de Villiers) 12, C Kapugeder lbw Imran Tahir 0, K Perera (not out) 44, A Gunaratne c Parnell b Imran Tahir 4, S Prasanna lbw Morris 13, R Lakmal run out (Imran Tahir) 0, L Malinga b Rabada 1, N Pradeep c Duminy b Imran Tahir 5. Extras (lb 6, w 8, nb 1) 15. Total (all out in 41.3 overs) 203. FoW: 1-69, 2-94, 3-116, 4-117, 5-146, 6-155, 7-191, 8-191, 9-192, 10-203. Bowling: K Rabada 8-1-46-1, W Parnell 10-0-54-0, M Morkel 6-0-31-1, C Morris 7-0-32-2, Imran Tahir 8.3-0-27-4, JP Duminy 2-0-7-0.