Dippenaar en route to 125 .. on Tuesday. (AP)

Adelaide: South Africa’s Andrew Hall produced an inspired bowling performance at the death to set up a nine-run victory over Sri Lanka in a tri-series match at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka had been cruising to victory, after Boeta Dippenaar had scored a career-best 125 not out in South Africa’s 263 for five, before Hall and Johan van der Wath combined to take wickets and restrict runs in the final overs.

Tillekeratne Dilshan (82 not out) and Mahela Jawayardene (52) combined to put on 107 and looked on course for the target at 224 for five in the 45th over before Jayawardene was bowled by van der Wath.

Hall then bowled Russel Arnold and ran out Malinga Bandara off successive balls in the 48th over to swing the game back in South Africa’s favour and then bowled five ‘dot’ balls in the final over to restrict Sri Lanka to 254 for eight.

Muttiah Muralidharan took his 400th ODI wicket when he had Van der Wath (0) caught in close. The Sri Lankan off-spinner thus joined Pakistan pace duo Wasim Akram (502) and Waqar Younis (416) as the only bowlers to pass the 400-mark.