Chaminda Vaas made short work of opener Herschelle Gibbs

Sri Lanka drew first blood in their one-day series against South Africa as a six by Kaushal Lokuarachchi secured a three-wicket victory in Colombo.

They reached 265-7 with an over to spare as Tillakaratne Dilshan (38) and Lokuarachchi (11) saw them home.

Skipper Marvan Atapattu (64) and Avishka Gunawardene (51) led the run chase after the tourists made 263-9.

Chaminda Vaas took 4-33 in the South African innings, which saw Jacques Kallis top score with 74.

Graeme Smith opted to bat first after winning the toss, with his side still smarting from their 1-0 defeat in the Test series.

And he and Kallis made excellent progress after Herschelle Gibbs had fallen lbw to Vaas for nought in the fifth over.

They put on 77 before Smith was bowled through the gate for 38 by Lokuarachchi, who had been drafted in by Sri Lanka to replace the injured Muttiah Muralitharan.

Jacques Rudolph provided useful support for Kallis, making 22 before Chandana (2-41) dismissed both to reduce South Africa to 138-4.

They had batting prospect Jean Paul Duminy making his first appearance but he had to wait for his chance as the experienced trio of Shaun Pollock, Boucher and Lance Klusener were sent in ahead of him.

Pollock and Boucher added 52 in nine overs before the former was bowled by Sanath Jayasuriya as he attempted a slog sweep.

Atapattu and Gunawardene laid the foundation for Sri Lanka

Boucher followed for 58 soon after reaching a 41-ball half century when he was caught by Gunawardene and Vaas then bowled Klusener for 15 before cutting short Duminy's debut innings by trapping him lbw for four.

South Africa opted not to give the new ball to Makhaya Ntini, their qucikest bowler, as Sri Lanka began their reply.

And it proved a shrewd move as Alan Dawson bowled Jayasuriya for 12 with the total on 29.

Gunawardene responded with some crisp strokes in his 51 off 61 balls before he was caught by Gibbs off Ntini, and the same fielder also showed a clean pair hands when Kumar Sangakkara (24) fell to Nicky Boje.

Atapattu batted for over two hours before he edged Ntini to wicket-keeper Boucher, but sensible batting by Vaas helped the home side reduce the target to 30 off the last five overs.

He made 20 off 25 balls before skying a catch off Pollock, but South Africa could not separate Dilshan and Lokuarachchi, who rounded things off in the grand manner.

South Africa: G C Smith (Capt), H H Gibbs, L Klusener, J H Kallis, J A Rudolph, J P Duminy, M V Boucher (Wkt), S M Pollock, N Boje, A C Dawson, M Ntini.