ICC Champions Trophy, 2006-07

At Ahmedabad, October 24, 2006 (day/night). South Africa won by 78 runs. South Africa 2 pts. Toss: Sri Lanka.

When South Africa managed only 219, they seemed set to finish on the wrong end of what their vice-captain Mark Boucher had termed a "grudge match" after his side's recent travails in Sri Lanka, which had included fielding through a world-record partnership of 624, then returning home after a bomb blast. Vaas again winkled out important early wickets, and only Kallis and de Villiers gave the innings some backbone. But South Africa's bowlers did the trick this time. Pollock picked the lock, Ntini opened the door, then Nel stormed through. A pace attack that combined guile, sheer speed and movement off the pitch reduced Sri Lanka to 91 for six, and the later batsmen could only reduce the margin of defeat. Sri Lanka, so impressive previously, were suddenly all but out of the tournament: their failure to reach the semi-finals was rubber-stamped the next day when New Zealand beat Pakistan.

Man of the Match: S. M. Pollock.