Centuries from Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Rivaldo Moonsamy powered South Africa A to a 73-run victory over India A in the final one-day match in Rajkot on Wednesday.
The teenage Proteas star smashed six sixes and nine fours in a 98-ball 123, combining with Moonsamy (107 off 130 balls; 13 fours, two sixes) in a superb 241-run opening stand that set up South Africa’s total of 325-6 after being put in to bat at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
Nqaba Peter then led the bowling effort with 4-48 in 10 overs, supported by Tshepo Moreki (3-58), as India A were bowled out for 252 in the final over.
The result gave the visitors a consolation win after losing the first two matches of the series, and capped a strong finish to the tour following their dramatic fourth-innings chase in the second four-day game last week.
Pretorius and Moonsamy’s partnership was the cornerstone of the innings, coming from just 37.1 overs before both fell to seamer Prasidh Krishna (2-52) in quick succession. Their dismissals triggered a brief collapse as South Africa A slipped from 241-0 to 248-3, with Sinethemba Qeshile (1) also departing cheaply.
Rubin Hermann (11), Marques Ackerman (16) and Dian Forrester (20) made starts before Delano Potgieter’s brisk unbeaten 30 helped the the tourists close strongly.
India A began positively through Abhishek Sharma (11) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (25), who scored centuries in the previous two games, but their dismissals sparked a collapse to 57-3.
Ishan Kishan (53 off 67 balls) and Ayush Badoni (66 off 66) added 88 for the fifth wicket to revive hopes, before Peter’s double breakthrough halted their progress.
The hosts fell from 170-4 to 201-6, with Moreki and Bjorn Fortuin (2-48) cleaning up the tail to seal victory.
