South Africa struggled to make any impact when choosing to bat first on the first day of the Test series with Sri Lanka at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.
Dismissed for 169 in the 51st over, South Africa was unable to contain the home side which reached 128-2 by stumps.
South Africa started well enough, but it was the introduction of first-change bowler Dilhara Fernando that provide the breakthrough.
He bowled Andrew Hall for 17 and then four overs later also bowled Herschelle Gibbs for 17 to leave South Africa 45-2. Jacques Rudolph and Hashim Amla took the score through to 78 when Farveez Maharoof was caught behind for 29 and two runs later Amla fell to Muttiah Muralitharan for 19.
AB de Villiers then took a central command role in the remainder of the innings whicl scoring 65.
But he was unable to find anyone capable of staying with him for a lengthy spell and while he managed his half-century off 52 balls, the home bowlers had the final say and it was Muralitharan who had de Villiers caught, the last man out.
Muralitharan took 4-41 and Fernando had 4-48 while Maharoof was the other successful bowler with 2-32.
South Africa was given some initial hope of breaking back when Sanath Jayasuriya was trapped leg before wicket by Dale Steyn for four when the score was six.
Then he had Upul Tharanga caught behind by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for seven to leave the home side reeling at 14-2.
However, Kumar Sangakkara and captain Mahela Jayawardene settled in and by stumps they had enjoyed an unbroken 114-run stand.
Sangakkara was 59 not out with his half-century scored off 56 balls while Jayawardene was 55 not out, his 50 having taken 72 balls. Steyn ended the day with 2-30 from six overs.
