And the big question... even chasing a low total, can South Africa finally get the monkey off their back and finally win a World Cup knock-out game?

It's a bit harsh to be tarred with the brush of failure by previous generations - for example, if your football team had never won at QPR since the 1950s, rest assured that's the statistic which will be wheeled out each time, even if you've not played them there more than half-a-dozen times in the intervening 60 years.

None of this current SA team were involved in the 1992, 1996, 1999 or 2003 World Cups, though some played in 2007 and 2011. Time to lay the ghost?

Image source, Getty Images

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"I see Imran Tahir out there doing some bowling. Maybe he's dropping a hint to his captain, I'm sure a few of them would like to have a go at 10 and 11."

Listen to Test Match Special commentary via the audio icon.

Kevin Pietersen
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

On the Big Bash, which Pietersen played in during the Australian summer:

"The standard of the Big Bash made it work. People here in Australia supported it and made it work. There were more people watching domestic games than international matches that were going on at the same time.

"They have done it really well. The standard is so good where you cannot take your foot off the ball at all. It is exotic and it was a spectacle."

If you're just joining us, they've been off for rain in Sydney and hopefully will be back on the field soon.

What have you missed? Sri Lanka won the toss and batted, and after they lost a couple of early wickets, Lahiru Thirimanne gave them a bit of impetus with a breezy 41, but when he went it was left to Kumar Sangakkara (45) who dropped anchor in a big way.

Just when he and captain Angelo Mathews were building a firm foundation, Sri Lanka then lost five wickets for 13 runs in 20 balls, including a hat-trick for JP Duminy, and at 127-9 with Sanga gone, there's not much optimism that they'll last a lot longer.

Image source, AP

Kevin Pietersen
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"I have expressed my interest in trying to get back into county cricket. If I can do anything that can help me get back into it for England then it's something I want to do.

"I would have loved to have had it done sooner, but I really want to make the right decision. I would love to get runs in county cricket. I don't know how it's going to happen, I just have to wait and see. There's a few things that need tinkering with, but I do want to make the right decision."

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"It's stopped raining so we should be back on soon. If ever there's a team who will be acclimatised to Adelaide, it's Pakistan, they've been there for weeks. They were there eight days before they played Ireland, and they've been there ever since."

Sri Lanka 127-9 (36.2 overs) - rain stopped play

Batsman: Chameera 0*

Fall of wickets: 3-1 (K Perera 3), 4-2 (Dilshan 0), 69-3 (Thirimanne 41), 81-4 (Jayawardene 4), 114-5 (Mathews 19), 115-6 (T Perera 0), 116-7 (Kulasekara 1), 116-8 (Kaushal 0), 127-9 (Sangakkara 45)

Bowling figures: Steyn 7-2-18-1, Abbott 6-1-27-1, Morkel 6.2-1-21-1, Duminy 9-1-29-3, Tahir 8-0-26-3.

Sri Lanka won toss

Scorecard

While we're waiting for play to resume, time to reflect on a curate's egg of an innings from Kumar Sangakkara. He made 45 from 96 balls, and while he showed some intent once Chameera had joined him, he didn't show the range of strokes we know he can play, as though he was keen to bat through the innings at all costs.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Sydney

"Where has that rain come from? It certainly surprised the groundstaff, who were nowhere near ready. The wicket was uncovered for quite a while, but is now underneath some matting."

The Antipodean stadium DJs at this World Cup have been pretty good with their choice of music on these occasions - and their disc of choice now is "Why Does It Always Rain On Me?" by Travis. I'm sure that a couple of times in New Zealand-hosted games, when a batsman summoned a replacement bat from the dressing-room, I heard the 1960s "Batman" theme played.

Image source, Getty Images

Kevin Pietersen
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"The groundsmen were not ready for the rain. I'm not sure this rain will help proceedings. All it will do is lengthen the match."

Listen to Test Match Special commentary via the audio icon.

And as if from nowhere, there's a sudden burst of huge, Salfordian rain over the SCG and the players go off.

With the invader removed, Sangakkara swings at Morkel, the ball skies to third man - and the catch is taken. Nine down. 10 and 11 in. Start the tuk-tuk?

Scorecard

Image source, Getty Images

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport in Sydney

"It's quite apt that the sun has disappeared behind a cloud, life sucked from the sky like as this contest slides towards one-sidedness. After Kaushal was trapped plumber than Plumby McPlumb, Sangakkara leant on his bat, a man cut adrift to play a lone hand for what could be the final time."

Duminy, having bowled a double-wicket maiden and taken a hat-trick, is off and Morne Morkel will bowl - while play is held up by the invasion of a non-streaking streaker, as it were.

Kevin Pietersen
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"The game has now dictated the way Sangakkara has to bat."

Sri Lanka are obliged to take the batting powerplay, but with eight wickets down, you can expect there would have been a pretty attacking field anyway. Kyle Abbott to bowl. Sangakkara shows his tactics - as he knocks the ball to a fielder at third man and declines the chance of a run, keeping Chameera off strike. He does better with the next delivery, bisecting point and that third man fielder, the lumbering Morkel, for four. A swipe over point allows him a hasty two, a club through mid-wicket brings him four, and can he manufacture a single off the last ball with most of the field saving one? Yes he can - a chip over point.

Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"JP Duminy's hat-trick is only the second by a South Africa bowler in ODIs. He joins Charl Langeveldt, who achieved the feat against West Indies in Bridgetown in 2005."

Image source, Getty Images

Kevin Pietersen
Ex-England batsman on BBC Test Match Special

"It's a fascinating part of the game now. What does Sangakkara do now? He is batting with the number 10. If I was him, I would be looking to score boundaries off the first four balls and get down the other end. I wouldn't trust the man at the other end to face four or five balls."

Listen to Test Match Special commentary via the audio icon.

So the young debutant is replaced by Dushmantha Chameera, who's only ever batted once in his two previous ODIs, scoring 12 not out. He sees off the rest of the over - Duminy, supposedly the weak link of the South African attack, has a double wicket maiden - and a hat-trick.