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 Wednesday. Replying to a South African total of 301-8, Sri Lanka lost its 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 its 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 it 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. Cook hits century Opener Alastair Cook struck a fighting hundred to prop up a struggling England batting display against a Pakistan Cricket Board XI in its second three-day tour match in Dubai Wednesday. The 27-year-old left-hander hit an attractive 133 to lift England, sent into bat, to 269-9 declared on the opening day of the match played at the Global Cricket Academy. In reply, PCB XI was 22-0 at close, with openers Nasir Jamshed on 12 and Afaq Raheem on 10. Apart from Cook, Matt Prior (46) and Kevin Pietersen (38) were the only top-order batsmen to get some runs as Andrew Strauss (3), Jonathan Trott (0), Ian Bell (0) and Eoin Morgan (11) flopped again. That left England much to think about ahead of the first Test against Pakistan, starting here from Tuesday.
