Super-sub Malinga Bandara captured four quick wickets to help Sri Lanka [ Images ] to a 76-run victory over South Africa [ Images ] at Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Tuesday.
Sri Lanka will now meet Australia [ Images ] in the triangular one-day series finals.
"It's nice to get a win under out belt," Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody said in a televised interview.
"Today was a lot better performance all round really."
Bandara destroyed the South African batting lineup, taking 4-31 from nine overs with his leg-spinners, as the Proteas collapsed to be all out for just 181 in reply to Sri Lanka's 257-9.
South Africa had needed to win just one of their last three matches to reach the finals but back-to-back losses against Australia meant everything was at stake in Tuesday's last preliminary match.
Sri Lanka made a flying start after winning the toss and electing to bat first, Marvan Atapattu [ Images ] and Kumar Sangakkara [ Images ] both scoring half-centuries.
Atapattu slammed 80 off 122 balls then Sangakkara smashed 62 from 77 deliveries as the Sri Lankans raced to 175-1 in the 36th over when the South Africans suddenly hit back.
Paceman Johan van der Wath broke a 123-run stand between Atapattu and wicketkeeper Sangakkara when he had the latter caught by Boeta Dippenaar at mid off.
MINI-COLLAPSE
Van der Wath dismissed Atapattu in his next over, caught by Andrew Hall [ Images ], which triggered a mini-collapse.
Sri Lanka lost a steady stream of wickets to slump to 229-7 in the 47th over before Tillekeratne Dilshan [ Images ] chipped in with a rapid 30 to push the total past 250.
Hall was the pick of the South African bowlers, completing his 10 overs with figures of 3-50, while van der Wath and Charl Langeveldt grabbed to wickets each.
South Africa's reply started badly when they lost Dippenaar (nine) and Herschelle Gibbs [ Images ] (no score) to Chaminda Vaas [ Images ], slumping to 19-2.
South African skipper Graeme Smith [ Images ] finally found form, completing his first haf-century of the tour, but after he fell for 67 the rest of the batting order collapsed.
Bandara, who came on for Atapattu, had Smith caught by Muttiah Muralitharan [ Images ] then trapped Justin Kemp in front for a golden duck.
He took a sharp return catch to remove Ashwell Prince [ Images ] for 22 then had Shaun Pollock [ Images ] caught behind for 15.
The first final between Australia and Sri Lanka will take place in Adelaide on Friday with the second match scheduled for Sydney [ Images ] on Sunday. A third match, if required, will be held in Brisbane [ Images ] next Tuesday.
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