Sri Lanka left-arm fast bowler Nuwan Zoysa ripped through South Africa's top order to pave the way for a 37-run victory in the second one-day international in Colombo on Sunday.

Zoysa finished with career-best figures of 5-26 as South Africa were bowled out for 176 in 48.5 overs in reply to Sri Lanka's modest 213 for nine.

Part-time off spinner Tillakaratne Dilshan wrapped up the South Africa innings with a return of four for 52 as Sri Lanka went 2-0 up in the five-match series.

The tourists had slumped to 94 for seven in the 33rd over before former captain Shaun Pollock, with 54, and all rounder Lance Klusener, with 40, gave the total a measure of respectability.

Kumar Sangakkara anchored the Sri Lanka innings with 63, while Upul Chandana, the victim of a road-rage attack the previous day, made a patient 61 not out from 91 balls.

The pair put on a record 93 runs for the sixth wicket against South Africa, rescuing the home team after they had slumped to 86 for five in the 25th over after winning the toss.

Zoysa broke through in his third over, uprooting Herschelle Gibbs' off-stump as the opener tried to pull a good-length delivery.

TRIGGERED COLLAPSE

Nicky Boje, promoted up the order as a pinch-hitter, smashed a couple of straight boundaries off Zoysa before he triggered a collapse, looping a catch to backward point to depart for 14.

From 35 for one, South Africa slumped to 40 for five as Graeme Smith (14) played on, all rounder Jacques Kallis was adjudged leg before wicket for no score and Jacques Rudolph was caught behind for four.

Mark Boucher departed for four after edging a leg break from Kaushal Lokuarachchi to slip but Pollock initiated a fightback, adding 44 for the seventh wicket with Jean-Paul Duminy (22) and 59 with Klusener for the eighth wicket.

South Africa, however, had slipped too far behind the asking rate and they trail 2-0 in the series, which continues in the north-eastern town of Dambulla with the third one-dayer on Wednesday.

Earlier, South Africa appeared to put themselves on track for a possible victory by restricting Sri Lanka to below 220.

Kallis was the most successful bowler, taking three for 20 in six overs, while paceman Makhaya Ntini finished with two for 50.

Sangakkara had to work hard for his 15th one-day fifty off 73 balls before finishing with three fours.

EARLY BREAKTHROUGH

Fast bowler Pollock made an early breakthrough for South Africa, removing left-hander Sanath Jayasuriya for nine with a delivery that clipped the top of his off-stump.

Fellow opener Avishka Gunawardene cracked two fours and one glorious six over extra cover before prodding hesitantly at Ntini's first delivery of the day to be caught behind for 21.

Ntini also dismissed captain Marvan Atapattu for 26 in similar fashion during a six-over opening burst as Sri Lanka slipped to 69 for three soon after the first drinks break.

The home team tried to consolidate but the innings had virtually ground to a halt when Mahela Jayawardene edged an out-swinger from Klusener to depart for no score in the 19th over.

Sri Lanka were plunged into deeper trouble at 86 for five when Dilshan, surprised by some extra bounce off Kallis, was caught by Pollock in the slips and departed for five.

But Sangakkara and Chandana consolidated, initially scampering ones and twos before becoming more aggressive as Sri Lanka regained the momentum.

Their progress was checked with the runout of Sangakkara.

Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka innings:
A.Gunawardene c Boucher b Ntini 21
S.Jayasuriya b Pollock 9
M.Atapattu c Bouncher b Ntini 26
K.Sangakkara run out 63
M.Jayawardene c Boucher b Klusener 0
T.Dilshan c Pollock b Kallis 5
U.Chandana not out 61
C.Vaas run out 7
K.Lokuarachchi lbw Kallis 3
N.Zoysa b Kallis 6

Extras (6lb, 4nb, 2w) 12

Total (for nine wickets, 50 overs) 213

Fall of wickets: 1-18 2-45 3-69 4-72 5-86 6-179 7-188 8-198 9-213

Did not bat: R.Herath

Bowling: S.Pollock 10-1-35-1 (nb-2), A.Dawson 8-0-46-0 (w-1), M.Ntini 10-1-50-2 (w-1), L.Klusener 8-0-26-1 (nb-1), N.Boje 8-0-30-0, J.Kallis 6-1-20-3 (nb-1)

South Africa:
G.Smith b Zoysa 14
H.Gibbs b Zoysa 7
N.Boje c Dilshan b Zoysa 14
J.Kallis lbw b Zoysa 0
J.Rudolph c Sangakkara b Zoysa 4
S.Pollock c Atapattu b Dilshan 54
M.Boucher c Jayawardene b Lokuarachchi 4
J-P.Duminy lbw b Dilshan 22
L.Klusener c Jayasuriya b Dilshan 40
A.Dawson c Vaas b Dilshan 15
M.Ntini not out 0

Extras (w-2) 2

Total (all out, 48.5 overs) 176

Fall of wickets: 1-15 2-35 3-36 4-37 5-40 6-50 7-94 8-145 9-176

Bowling: C.Vaas 8-0-19-0 (w-1), N.Zoysa 8-0-26-5 (w-1), K.Lokuarachchi 7-0-17-1, S.Jayasuriya 5-0-22-0, U.Chandana 3-0-11-0, R.Herath 8-0-29-0, T.Dilshan 9.5-0-52-4