Stoinis ton leads the A team

A scintillating hundred from Marcus Stoinis was the standout contribution from the country's finest young batsmen on day one in Brisbane as Australia A reached 5-302 at stumps in their four-day clash with South Africa A.

Stoinis was in typically belligerent form as he crashed and caressed his way to a fourth first-class hundred, combining wonderfully with New South Wales young gun Kurtis Patterson (74) for a 151-run fourth-wicket partnership.

That stand dominated half the day's play at Allan Border Field, with wickets falling in a couple of patches either side after Australia A captain Peter Handscomb won the toss and elected to bat on a flat-looking wicket. 

WA opener Cameron Bancroft clipped the first ball of the series through square for four, but runs were hard to come by in the immediate period thereafter, as South Africa’s paceman, including Test star Vernon Philander, quickly settled into a nagging line and length.

Bancroft and his 20-year-old opening partner Matt Renshaw of Queensland, both among the Sheffield Shield’s leading run-scorers last summer, negotiated the first half hour patiently before the Warrior broke the shackles with a cracking straight drive off opening quick Duanne Olivier.

The pair moved into their 20s but it was the introduction of spin that did the trick for the Proteas, Dane Piedt tempting Renshaw (25) to hit over the top and inducing a miscued swipe that fell safely into the hands of Olivier at short third man.

Bancroft (34) was gone a short while later, edging behind to ‘keeper Dane Vilas to leave the hosts 2-62. 

On a good pitch and in favourable conditions, both batsmen will likely rue a missed opportunity after a strong start, however the Proteas did bowl impressively with the pink ball, Philander (1-32 off 17) conceding just nine runs alongside his wicket from his first nine overs.

Handscomb was the only wicket to fall between lunch and tea, creaming a cut shot straight to gully from Olivier 10 minutes after the interval. 

From there, Patterson played the lead hand as Stoinis worked his way into his innings, but the roles soon switched, as the big-hitting Victorian found the boundary regularly, racing to an entertaining half-century from 68 balls as Australia A enjoyed their most productive period of the day.

Patterson, typically, was more circumspect but no less effective, picking the gaps and happily playing second fiddle to his aggressive partner as the two forged the decisive union of the innings.

On 63, Stoinis pushed for a quick single and his gamble only just paid off, as a direct-hit from mid-off forced the standing umpire – without the luxury of a television review – to make a difficult call that ultimately went in favour of the batsman.

Patterson meanwhile, was finding his rhythm and expanding his game, the left-hander favouring the point region as he flayed anything short from the Proteas' quicks to the fence.

The Blues top-order man looked in excellent touch – assured against the spin of Dane Piedt and rock-solid in defence in general – so would doubtless have been disappointed when he was bowled by Andile Phehlukwayo within sight of three figures. 

His exit saw Maxwell arrive, but the allrounder endured a frustrating and brief stay in the middle, playing and missing on a couple of occasions before edging behind for a 10-ball duck.

Stoinis shelved much of his explosive stroke-play in the overs that followed – a couple of vicious pull shots notwithstanding – sensibly targeting the close of play as another milestone, with his other eye perhaps on quick runs tomorrow morning.

In the closing half hour he was joined by WA 'keeper-batsman Sam Whiteman, who had a life on 14 when he was dropped off Olivier at point before a series of well-struck boundaries hurried him along to 35 at stumps. 

The game in Brisbane has some added spice to it, with the match to be played with a pink ball ahead of the day-night Test between Australia and South Africa in Adelaide in November.

All you need to know: Teams, schedule and more for winter series

It begins a carnival of winter cricket in Queensland over the next six weeks, with the best up-and-coming players from Australia, South Africa and India to lock horns in a combination of four-day and 50-over matches to be played in Brisbane, Townsville and Mackay.

The A sides from Australia and South Africa will be joined next month by India A and Cricket Australia's National Performance Squad in a quadrangular 50-over series with matches in Townsville and Mackay, a key component of Cricket Australia's commitment to take cricket to all parts of Australia.

Another two unofficial Tests will then be played against India A in Brisbane in September. Check out the full schedule HERE.

Cricket.com.au will have a live stream of every match of the winter series as well as exclusive video highlights and the latest news and scores as the next generation of international stars square off.