Muttiah Muralitharan sent South Africa spinning to a crushing defeat as Sri Lanka won a record-breaking first Test on the final day in Colombo.
The spin wizard claimed second innings figures of six for 131 and a match total of 10 for 172 as the tourists lost by an innings and 153 runs after being bowled out for 434 shortly after lunch.
They were always facing an uphill task to rescue a draw after being skittled for just 169 on day one before watching the hosts rack up 756 for five declared, the sixth highest total in Test history and containing a world record partnership of 624 between Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.
After surviving for the whole of day four and realistically needing to bat out day five to avoid defeat, the Proteas resumed on 311 for four, with stand-in skipper Ashwell Prince (60 not out) and wicketkeeper Boucher (38no) at the crease.
They could hardly have got off to a worse start as Muralitharan took just six deliveries to strike.
After surviving Dilhara Fernando`s first over, stand-in skipper Prince (61) was undone by some Murali magic, edging the final delivery of the over to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.
That brought Herschelle Gibbs to the crease, the opener having sat out the last two days after being bedridden the entire third day as a result of diarrhoea, cramps and vomiting.
But he could only contribute 18 before lobbing a full toss straight back to Murali.
Boucher reached an unbeaten 80 at lunch, with Nicky Boje also at the crease on 18 as the tourists advanced to 392 for six, still 195 runs short of making Sri Lanka bat again.
The game looked up when Boucher (85) fell four overs after the restart, spooning the ball back to Sanath Jayasuriya, who gleefully accepted his first wicket on home soil since coming out of Test match retirement.
Three overs later, Andre Nel was out for an eight-ball duck, Murali completely deceiving the tail-ender with one that span back from outside off-stump to remove the bails.
Dale Steyn (four) was similarly snared four over later, completely missing the ball, which clipped the bail on leg and middle.
oje, who eventually ground his way to an unbeaten 33, was joined at the crease by Makhaya Ntini, who had no intention of defending his wicket.
In an entertaining knock of 16, which contained a four and a six off Jayasuriya, he was eventually clean bowled by Lasith Malinga.
