LONDON: Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis with a big second wicket partnership of 145 runs helped South Africa to set a difficult target of 300 runs for Sri Lanka in the third One-day International match of the ICC Champions Trophy here at the Kennington Oval on Saturday.
Amla scored 103 off 115 balls, his 25th ODI century, with five fours and two sixes while his partner du Plessis made 75 from 70 balls with six boundaries.
Sri Lanka are playing without their regular captain Angelo Mathews after he failed a fitness test on the calf muscle he injured in a warm-up match with New Zealand.
Stand-in captain Upul Tharanga elected to bowl first after winning the toss but South Africa piled up a huge total of 299 for six, thanks to Amla and du Plessis.
South Africa — who came into the tournament on the back of a 2-1 series loss to England — are the world´s number one ranked team while Sri Lanka are seventh.