Wasim Jaffer on Saturday came up with a superb 90 as India 'A' scored a healthy 319 all out on the opening day of the three-day match against South Africa in Arundel (England).

Walking in at the fall of opener Gautam Gambhir's wicket just before lunch, Jaffer produced his best knock on this tour before he was the sixth man out well into the last session.

Jaffer hit 12 fours in his 147-ball knock that lasted 202 minutes.  

For South Africa, Shaun Pollock took four wickets and Dewald Pretorius grabbed three in the last session as India 'A' slid from 195-3 at tea to 319 all out in 89 overs at stumps.

Earlier, electing to bat, India were off to a solid start with skipper Shiv Sunder Das (33) and Gautam Gambhir (64) putting on 93 runs blunting the South African attack led by Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini.

Gambhir, who recorded his second century on this tour against county champions Surrey on Wednesday, continued his fine form hitting 11 fours in his 69-ball knock.

Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, who was introduced as the fifth bowler, gave South Africa the breakthrough shortly before lunch when he had Gambhir caught by Gary Kirsten.

At lunch, India 'A' were 99 for one.

India lost Das and Hemang Badani before tea as the total moved to 195.

Das's knock of 33 from 98 balls with five hours ended when Pollock got him to nick one to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.

Boucher also snapped up Badani (23 off 70 balls) with the wicket going to Monte Zondeki.

Scoreboard:
India 'A' 1st Innings:
S Das c Boucher b Pollock        33
G Gambhir c Kirsten b Peterson   64
W Jaffer c Smith b Pretorious    90
H Badani c Boucher b Zondeki     23
A Rayudu lbw b Pretorius         32
P Patel b Pretorius               8
A Mishra b Pollock               25                
M Kartik c Rudolph b Ntini       16                 
I Pathan c Smith b Pollock        6
A Bhandari not out                1
A Salvi b Pollock                 0

Extras (w-5, nb-16)              21
Total (all out, 89 overs)       319

Fall of wickets: 1-93, 2-144, 3-195, 4-251, 5-261, 6-272, 7-304, 8-318, 9-318.
Bowling: Pollock 15-2-46-4, Ntini 19-5-70-1, Pretorious 16-3-41-3, Zondeki 14-2-58-1, Peterson 20-2-87-1, Rudolph 5-1-17-0.