Rudolph got his tour off to a flying start with a superb innings

Boeta Dippenaar fell lbw for one in Nuwan Zoysa's first over and Herschelle Gibbs was caught after a breezy 38.

But Rudolph put the bowlers to the sword by crashing 16 fours and a six in his 157 off only 213 deliveries.

He put on 242 with Amla, who stroked two fewer boundaries in an innings spanning 241 balls in Colombo.

It was just the start the tourists wanted after arriving without injured regular captain Graeme Smith.

Rudolph was called up because of that blow but he was pressed into action sooner than expected when paceman Zoysa struck.

The left-hander, the only South African batsman to score a hundred on their last visit two years ago, immediately got into his stride.

He was finally dismissed 40 minutes from stumps when Jehan Mubarak snapped up a chance at short fine-leg off Upul Chandana.

Amla was no slouch at the other end, showing excellent footwork to take on spinners Chandana and Rangana Herath.

Skipper Ashwell Prince was with him at the close of play, having made 15.