Mumbai, Jan 9: Fine batting by Ashok Malhotra (78, 97b, 7x4) and Yashpal Sharma (46) and their 94-run third wicket partnership steered Indian Seniors to a six wickets win with six balls to spare in the first of the four one-dayers against South Africa Seniors at the Brabourne Stadium here today.
Indian Seniors' skipper Sandeep Patil won the Toss in the morning and put the opposition into bat first.
Aided by a quick fire 41 off 36 balls by middle order batsman Faiek Davids and small contributions by skipper Henry Fotheringham (32 off 44 balls), left hander Omar Henry (30 off 25 balls) and N. Wright (30 off 60 balls), South Africa managed to reach 196 for seven off their stipulated 40 overs.
Madan Lal (two for 34) and Suru Nayak (three for 38) were the most successful Indian bowlers.
The Indians, after losing two quick wickets that of Roger Binny (1) and Chandrakant Pandit (19) for 29 runs, fought back with good knocks by Malhotra and Yashpal before Patil (30 not out) and Madan Lal (10 not out) saw them through.
The next three one dayers would be held at Baroda (January 11), Faridabad (January 13) and Bangalore (January 15).