Stoinis fireworks put name front and centre

If any of the small band of viewers at Brisbane's Allan Border Field today had eyed a patch of grass upon which to drift off in the warm afternoon sun, the deeds of Marcus Stoinis would have quickly allayed such plans.

Stoinis, a broad-shouldered, imposing Victorian, bats with the subtleness of a sledgehammer. Even his defensive strokes ping back off the bat with a menacing sort of intent.

Just as impressively, he has a deft touch game, a facet of his batting he conceded after play he's had to work on and which served to punctuate the regular rattling of the pickets during what was perhaps his finest first-class hand to date. 

Scorecard: Australia A v South Africa A

At 26, Stoinis is a veritable elder statesman of this Australia A side; Glenn Maxwell aside, every other member of the top seven is 25 or under.

It certainly augurs well for the future of Australian cricket, and if today was any indication, Stoinis will be front and centre of that future, and sooner rather than later.

"It's good to start the series with a good knock," the allrounder told cricket.com.au. "The first 20, 30 balls is always tough, but the key for me was to play straight, and play late.

"We've got ourselves now in a position where we're in front in the match. We'll look to get to 400 tomorrow and maybe assess from there." 

Stoinis, with 118 not out beside his name, was of course the crucial factor in Australia A gaining the advantage on the opening day of the series.

Aside from an early edge from the spin of Dane Piedt, he was composed and in control as he upped a rather tepid run-rate in very little time, cruising to 50 from 68 balls before a too-close-for-comfort direct hit run-out shout on 63 proved a timely warning.

At that point, he reassessed, drew in the reins somewhat and patiently made his way towards a fourth first-class hundred.

He had another life, on 90, when his missile-like pull-shot was dropped in the deep, but it was a hot chance and besides, to suggest he didn't deserve this hundred would be nonsense.

And though a dismissal 10 short of 100 would have been cruel on Stoinis, it would not have been altogether unfamiliar.

For while the past two-and-a-half Sheffield Shield seasons have been productive ones, there have certainly been frustrations.

Match report: Stoinis ton leads the A team

The allrounder was a model of consistency through the 2014-15 – his 785 runs placed him seventh among the Shield's top run-makers – however despite passing 50 on nine occasions (including a 99), he failed to add another three-figure score to his maiden first-class hundred from the previous summer.

More half-centuries followed in 2015-16 before hundreds against WA and NSW got the proverbial monkey off the back.

The second of those came only four months ago – a decisive innings in Alice Springs that helped push the Bushrangers into the Shield final, where they ultimately defended their title.

Quick Single: Stoinis ready to spring surprises

Now, in his first first-class hit since he lifted the silverware in March (he made 35 and 72 in the decider), he has produced the goods at a higher level still, against an attack that included an impressive Vernon Philander, against a relatively unfamiliar pink ball, and with National Selection Panel member Trevor Hohns watching on from the comforts of the Stuart Law Stand.

"Preparation, I guess. And consistent hard work," Stoinis said when asked where the confidence to go out and perform in the manner that he did had come from.

"We've been here (at the Bupa National Cricket Centre) for about four weeks, the bowlers, so I've been batting a bit against them as well.

"Hard work and preparation – that's the key when an opportunity comes up."

If he can continue batting as he did today, Stoinis, who has played just the solitary ODI and T20 fixtures for Australia, can expect plenty more opportunities to come his way.