South Africa has held its nerve with the bat and in the field to defeat Sri Lanka by a narrow nine runs in the tri-series match at Adelaide Oval, but suffered another injury blow, this time to talented batsman Herschelle Gibbs.

Defending an imposing 5-263, the Proteas allowed Sri Lanka's middle order to slip tantalisingly close before steely death bowling by Andrew Hall (2-38) and Shaun Pollock (2-51) shut out the chase at 8-254.

The win means each side has two wins and two losses at the midpoint of the tri-series, Australia on top with 10 points, followed by Sri Lanka on nine and the Proteas with eight.

South African skipper Graeme Smith revealed the Proteas had lost Gibbs to a strained groin while fielding.

"The way things are going it will probably keep him out of a few, but hopefully not," Smith said ruefully of his side's tour.

"Hopefully he can get right, but the way the tour's gone with all the injuries you never know."

Sri Lankan coach Tom Moody added his name to the long list of those unhappy with the supersub rule after losing the toss deprived his side of the use of in-form leg spinner Malinga Bandara.

"There's no question it needs to be reviewed," he said.

"It's 12 against 11, depending on who wins the toss and who you have as supersub you're either chasing with an extra batsman or defending with an extra bowler and you tell me if that's fair."

Man of the match Boeta Dippenaar (125) earlier added 119 with Gibbs (68) to right South Africa after two wickets to wristy off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (2-45) had threatened to derail the innings.

Dippenaar carried his bat sensibly in a performance reminiscent of reliable former teammate Gary Kirsten.

Smith had batted first on a fine afternoon and with Dippenaar took the score to 72.

They were never entirely in control though, and Muralitharan struck with his second delivery, a sharp off break that lured Smith beyond the creaseline.

It was a tight call by third umpire Steve Davis - Smith's foot was millimetres off the ground when Kumar Sangakkara removed the bails - and continued the captain's unfulfilling tour with the bat.

Next ball Johan van der Wath's promotion came to nothing as he squeezed another bouncing off break to short leg, the dismissal giving Muralitharan his 400th limited overs wicket.

Gibbs then turned momentum his way, blasting a trio of slog-swept sixes at the expense of Dilshan and Muralitharan as the total galloped from 150 to 200 between overs 38 and 43.

Dippenaar hit only three boundaries in reaching an unobtrusive century off 130 balls, but struck four more in the dying overs to take the final total past 260.

Sri Lanka's early response provided a repeat of Sunday's pyrotechnics at the SCG, Jehan Mubarak perishing before Sangakarra and Jayasuriya exploded into life with a flurry of big hits.

The Proteas were momentarily ducking for cover, but the hitting was terminated by Mark Boucher, who manufactured a marvellous legside stumping from Hall's wide to get the better of an overbalancing Jayasuriya for 37.

Sangakkara (23) followed next over, prodding a slower ball back to van der Wath, and captain Marvan Atapattu was smartly run out by Boucher for the same score when he wandered out of his crease during Johan Botha's caught behind appeal.

From 4-117 Tillakaratne Dilshan (82 not out) and Mahela Jayawardene (52) played with sense and a good deal of panache to cut the target down to size.

Jayawardene was yorked by van der Wath (2-37) with 40 to get and Russel Arnold lost his off stump with the requirement at 22.

Vaas' dismissal, well caught by long on Botha, left 11 required from the final over.

Dilshan was stranded at the non-striker's end, allowing Hall to pin down Muralitharan and concede just one leg bye.

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