1st Match: Sri Lannka Vs. South Africa - - Dilshan's Ton Helped Sri Lanka To Set A Big Target For Proteas

Graeme Smith had a smile on his face when the toss went his way, but it was soon replaced by a frown after a rampant Tillakaratne Dilshan and a fluent Kumar Sangakkara forged a century partnership. Sri Lanka were always in control with Dilshan around, and the manner in which he helped himself to 81 by the half-way mark suggested Smith's decision to field was a gross blunder. South Africa had taken the early initiative by dismissing Sanath Jayasuriya cheaply, but along came Sangakkara for a useful return to form.

The ball didn't come onto the bat easily at the start, but there was enough time for Dilshan to get back and hit it. He negated the initial uneven bounce and played anchor and aggressor in equal measure. He attempted to dominate and took control after Steyn had Jayasuriya lbw with one that pitched on middle and didn't swing. The first to feel Dilshan's force was Wayne Parnell, whose first spell suggested he was a tad awed at opening the attack with Steyn in the tournament opener.

Parnell, preferred to Makhaya Ntini, struggled to hit a consistent length and went for 39 in five overs. When he dropped fractionally short Dilshan hammered him through midwicket and slashed past backward point; when he tried a slower ball Dilshan scooped him from off stump over Mark Boucher for four. It was a recurring leitmotif in those early overs, Parnell dragging the ball down and Dilshan pinging the deep point and midwicket boundaries.

Sangakkara began watchfully but found the middle of his bat in the eighth over, smartly forcing the ball past point for four. In the next over he punished a wayward Jacques Kallis for lovely boundaries off his pads. The first ten overs yielded 70 yet Smith still opted for the second Powerplay, introducing Albie Morkel. Dilshan welcomed him with a four, raised his half-century off 38 balls, and finished off the 14th over by smashing a free hit for six over midwicket. Morkel's first two overs cost 22.

South Africa went in with two spinners and while Johan Botha and Roelof van der Merwe stemmed the flow of boundaries, Sri Lanka were ticking along at more than six an over.