Hashim Amla hit a century as South Africa set Sri Lanka 300 to win the opening Group B match at the ICC Champions Trophy.

Amla’s 103, his 25th one-day international ton, should have been the platform for a heftier target in glorious sunshine on a flat Oval pitch.

But Sri Lanka, with paceman Lasith Malinga back in the fold at the age of 33, stuck to their task well after electing to field and limited the South Africans to a modest 6-299 from their 50 overs.

Nuwan Pradeep made the opening breakthrough in the 12th over, tempting a strangely subdued Quinton de Kock into chasing one outside off stump to depart for 23.

Pradeep should have had his second wicket when Faf du Plessis, on six, skied an attempted hook but Malinga made a complete mess of the catch on the boundary.

The veteran, playing his first one-day international since November 2015, seemed to lose his balance as he stepped backwards onto the rope, and then in diving forward he somehow failed to get a hand on the ball.

It proved expensive as du Plessis and Amla cantered to a 100 partnership off 90 balls.

Pradeep, back for a second spell, finally dismissed du Plessis for 75 thanks to a spectacular diving catch by Dinesh Chandimal at midwicket.

At 2-189, South Africa appeared set but captain AB de Villiers came and went for four, dollying Seekkuge Prasanna into the hands of Chamara Kapugedera.

Amla brought up his century off 112 balls but, with the very next delivery, David Miller fell for 18, scooping Suranga Lakmal to Prasanna.

And worse was to come for South Africa when Amla, going for a second, was well short of his ground and run out by Kusal Mendis.

Another run-out, from Upul Tharanga with one stump to aim at, removed Chris Morris for 20 to leave JP Duminy to scratch out what could prove a valuable 38 - including 10 off the final two balls.

AAP