By Daniel Etchells

JP Duminy (left) became just the eighth player to record a World Cup hat-trick ©Getty ImagesSouth Africa thrashed Sri Lanka by nine wickets in Sydney to ease their way into the Cricket World Cup semi-finals, as off-spinner JP Duminy became the nation's first player to claim a hat-trick in the competition.

Duminy joined an elite group of players to record a World Cup hat-trick as Sri Lanka, the 1996 World Cup winners and runners-up in the last two tournaments, were bowled out for just 133.

Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga has achieved the feat twice, while compatriot Chaminda Vaas, India's Chetan Sharma, Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq, Australia's Brett Lee, the West Indies' Kemar Roach and England's Steve Finn complete the eight-man list.

Quinton de Kock made an unbeaten 78 in reply, with the Proteas reaching their target for the loss of only one wicket in 18 overs.

South Africa's first knockout victory secures their first semi-final spot since 1999, when they suffered an agonising defeat to Australia, and they are now due to face either New Zealand or West Indies in Auckland on March 24.

Kyle Abbott and Dale Steyn made early inroads, reducing Sri Lanka to 4-2 inside the first five overs, before Duminy and Imran Tahir, who took four wickets for 26 balls, took advantage of a succession of loose shots.

Quinton de Kock scored an unbeaten 78 as South Africa cruised to victory ©Getty ImagesQuinton de Kock scored an unbeaten 78 as South Africa cruised to victory ©Getty Images






From a respectable position of 114-4, Sri Lanka fell to 133 all out in 37.2 overs, with Mahela Jayawardene scoring just four in his final one-day international.

Lahiru Thirimanne managed 41 to support the 45 of Kumar Sangakkara, who was also playing his final one day international, but no other batsmen reached 20.

Sangakkara can take some solace from the fact he became just the sixth player to score 500 runs in a single World Cup, following India's Sachin Tendulkar, who has achieved it twice, as well as team mates Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan, and Australia's Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden, but it was still a bitterly disappointing end to a brilliant career.

Captain Angelo Matthews was the only other player to make double figures with 19, and despite dismissing South Africa's Hashim Amla for just 16 after the change over, Sri Lanka were helpless to prevent De Kock and Faf du Plessis, who scored 21, from securing a comfortable win with 32 overs to spare.

Tomorrow's quarter-final features defending champions India against Bangladesh in Melbourne. 

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