A magnificent pair of centuries from Faf du Plessis and David Miller set South Africa up for a 121-run win over Sri Lanka in their second ODI in Durban on Wednesday.
The victory gave the Proteas a handy two-nil lead in the five-match series as they bounced back emphatically from their T20 series defeat.
Having been asked to bat first, South Africa found themselves in a spot of bother at 108 for four with Hashim Amla (15), Quinton de Kock (17), AB de Villiers (3) and JP Duminy (11) making their way back into the hut.
Du Plessis and Miller then partnered for 118 runs to set a new fifth-wicket record for South Africa against Sri Lanka. The pair batted in an old school ODI fashion, manipulating the field in the middle overs to take their ones and twos as they built a partnership.
Sri Lanka finally got a reprieve in the 42nd over, when Du Plessis was caught at long-on by Kusal Mendis off the bowling of Nuwan Kulasekara. His 105 off 120 balls was his seventh ODI ton and his first against Sri Lanka.
Miller continued on to the end, smashing 117 not out off 98 balls in an innings that featured six maximums.
A cameo of 26 off 20 balls from Chris Morris aided the Proteas too as they reached 307 for six.
"It was a fantastic effort by Faf and David, an incredible partnership after being four down early on," said captain De Villiers.
Sri Lanka were always behind the eight-ball and would have regretted bowling first. Scoreboard pressure told, in spite of their positive intent to try score runs.
Regular wickets stifled their innings as no batsmen managed to pass the fifty mark.
Wayne Parnell struck twice up front in the first 10 overs, with Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers taking superb catches off his bowling to knock the tourists back.
All six of the South African bowlers got in on the wickets, as only Dinesh Chandimal (36) got beyond 30.
Niroshan Dickwella (25), Upul Tharanga (26), Kusal Mendis (20) and Sachith Pathirana (26) all got starts, but could not press on as the rate continued to climb.
186 all out is what Sri Lanka finished on, with Imran Tahir taking the final wicket in the 38th over when he trapped Lakshan Sandakan in front for a duck.
"They played well in the first ten overs and took it to us. But we have a lot of class in the bowlers and we picked up wickets at important times," said De Villiers.
A massive 121-run win from the Proteas to follow up their eight-wicket win in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. Bowling-wise, Tahir (2-26), Duminy (2-30), Parnell (2-34), Phehlukwayo (1-21), Morris (1-27) and Rabada (1-47) all got in on the action.
The comprehensive win was set up by the superb batting of Du Plessis and Miller. Their ability to cope with the slow nature of the pitch and bide their time with singles allowed them to get on top of the Sri Lankan attack.
Du Plessis was named man-of-the-match for his masterful 105 as well as his three catches in the outfield.
Sri Lanka captain Tharanga rued the failure of any of his batsmen to make more than Chandimal.
"There were lots of twenties and thirties but nobody went on," he said.
Tharanga said the stand between Du Plessis and Miller was the biggest difference between the teams.
"We took four wickets but Faf and Miller had a very good partnership. If one of our batsmen had gone on and made a big hundred maybe we could have chased it down."
De Villiers said South Africa had worked hard on taking their chances in the field after missed opportunities let them down when they lost a recent Twenty20 series.
"You don't get that many chances in white-ball cricket. When you do you have to take them."
SOUTH AFRICA: Q de Kock (wk), HM Amla, F du Plessis, AB de Villiers (capt), JP Duminy, DA Miller, CH Morris, WD Parnell, AL Phehlukwayo, K Rabada, Imran Tahir
SRI LANKA: N Dickwella, BKG Mendis, LD Chandimal (wk), WU Tharanga (capt), PC de Silva, DM de Silva, DAS Gunaratne, KMDN Kulasekara, SS Pathirana, RAS Lakmal, PADLR Sandakan (Super Sport)
