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South Africa win one-day thriller

South Africa beat Sri Lanka in a nailbiting finish to triumph by nine runs in the triangular series.

Set 264 to win, Sri Lanka looked on course until an extraordinary run out of captain Marvan Atapattu and an inspired over by Andrew Hall.

Wicket-keeper Mark Boucher was involved in Atapattu's departure and also stumped dangerman Sanath Jayasuriya.

Earlier opener Boeta Dippenaar fired his third one-day ton, hitting 125 off 145 balls, in the match in Adelaide.

Sri Lanka's defeat meant they failed to top the table after six games. All three teams have played four games and have recorded two wins and two defeats.

Australia top the table with 10 points, Sri Lanka have nine and South Africa eight.

South Africa struggled for runs in the opening 35 overs after tight bowling and aggressive field placings.

Herschelle Gibbs helped up the scoring rate with a quick-fire 68 off 65 balls.

Gibbs hit a four on the second ball of the 37th over, the first boundary in over 23 overs, before smashing three sixes and three fours as together with Dippenaar, South Africa added 53 in the next five overs.

Spinner Muttiah Muralitharan took the wickets of captain Graeme Smith, who was stumped by Kumar Sangakkara for 28, and Johan van Der Wath for 0 in successive balls in the 19th over, to become the second player to take 400 wickets in one-day internationals.

But Hall and Johan van der Wath combined to take wickets and restrict runs in the final overs to help gain a win for South Africa.

Tillakartne Dilshan (82 not out) and Mahela Jawayardene (52) combined to scored 107 runs and looked on course for the target before Jayawardene was bowled by van der Wath.

Hall then bowled Russel Arnold and ran out Malinga Bandara on successive balls in the 48th over to swing the game back in South Africa's favour.

And after Atapattu was run out for 23 by an inspired example of keeping from Boucher, the match swung in South Africa's favour.