Cricket: Manish Pandey, Dhawal Kulkarni Script India A Win vs South Africa A

A fine century by skipper Manish Pandey helped India A score their first win in the Quadrangular One-Day cricket series in Townsville, Queensland, Australia on Wednesday. India A coasted to a three-wicket win against South Africa A after Pandey scored 100 off 105 balls.

South Africa A scored 230 for eight after being sent in to bat. David Miller's 90 off 104 balls rescued the Proteas who lost three top-order batsmen for just 35 runs. Miller was well supported by a second successive half-century by Qaasim Adams (52 off 55 balls) and a 40 by Theunis de Bruyn.

The South Africans, beaten by 17 runs in their opening game against Australia's National Performance Squad, were rocked by Indian pacers Dhawal Kulkarni (4/37), Jaydev Unadkat (2/42) and Hardik Pandya (2/55).

South Africa managed to remove India's top three -- Faiz Fazal (19), Karun Nair (17) and Mandeep Singh (14) -- inside 15 overs thanks to a pair of wickets by Andile Phehlukwayo (2/32) and one by Dwaine Pretorius (1/36).

But Kedar Jadhav (26) helped put on 66 for the fourth wicket with Pandey to resurrect the chase and two other crucial stands then took India to victory.

Both stands involved Pandey as he put on 51 with Pandya (18) and an unbroken 47 with Kulkarni (23) to take his side over the line with eight balls remaining.

India A are now off the mark with four points, with the NPS topping the table on eight, followed by Australia A on five. All three have played two matches each, with South Africa yet to gain a point.