CENTURIAN: Tillakaratne Dilshan struck a century and Ajantha Mendis grabbed three key wickets as Sri Lanka cruised to a 55-run win over South Africa on Tuesday in the opening Champions Trophy game.

Opener Dilshan made 106 as his side reached 319-8 off 50 overs and spinner Mendis picked up important wickets of Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and JP Duminy as South Africa slumped to 206-7 when rain stopped play with 74 balls to spare.

The D/L method came into play and Sri Lanka emerged clearcut winners seeking a first ICC trophy since winning the inaugural Champions Trophy 11 years ago. Smith opted to send Sri Lanka into bat on a run-rich pitch in a gamble that backfired as many of his bowlers revealed rust in the match. South Africa now must defeat New Zealand and England or face a humiliating first-round exit.

“We batted very well by doing the basics properly and building partnerships, but we need to improve our bowling. said victorious captain Kumar Sangakkara. Sout Africa skipper Smith offered no excuses: “Tillakaratne and Kumar batted superbly and hopefully we would do a lot better.”

Dilshan hit 16 fours and a six in his 106 off 92 balls and a shared a partnership of 158 runs with Sangakkara before being caught at the boundary off the speedster Dale Steyn in the 29th over. It was the third ODI century for the 2009 ICC Cricketer of the Year and Test Player of the Year nominee. Sangakkara was caught and bowled by JP Duminy for 54 two overs before Dilashan’s exit.

The exploits of Dilshan and Sangakkara followed the early, cheap departure of the grand old man of Sri Lankan cricket, 40-year-old Sanath Jayasuriya, for 10 when trapped leg before by Steyn. Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera added 116 runs off 106 balls for the fourth wicket before they departed from consecutive Wayne Parnell deliveries.

Facing a mammoth total, the last thing the Proteas needed was the loss of an early wicket but Hashim Amla departed for just nine runs on the board after being bowled by Angelo Mathews. The prize wicket of Smith came Ajantha Mendis bowled him in the15th over when he was looking good on 58. Kallis (41) and Duminy (0) fell to consecutive Mendis balls.

South Africa were tottering at 122-4 and the chances of a miraculous recovery vanished as AB de Villiers (24) and Mark Boucher (26) departed.

India suffer Yuvraj blow

JOHANNESBURG: Hard-hitting Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy here due to an injury, the Indian cricket board said in a statement on Wednesday. “Yuvraj has fractured a finger in his right hand and has been ruled out for six weeks,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a press release. “The selectors have chosen Virat Kohli as replacement for Yuvraj. He will fly out as soon as formalities are completed.” Yuvraj suffered the injury during a practice session in the morning. India open their campaign against Pakistan at Centurion on Saturday. — AFP