Aiden Markram was at his best against the Netherlands at the Wanderers. Photo: Phill Magakoe/AFP.
It rained sixes on the Wanderers today as Aiden Markram and David Miller blew against the Dutch bowlers.
The two batsmen properly turned on the run taps to score 199 runs from just 118 deliveries to score the fifth wicket.
At one point it looked like Markram was well on his way to celebrating South Africa’s first double century in the one-day cricket format. He chased the ball over the boundary rope to his heart’s content and his stroke play was pure art.
As has been said countless times: A print of an Aiden Markram drive can easily be hung in the Louvre museum.
However, he selflessly tried to chase runs for his team and he was caught on the boundary with his score at 175 runs. He hit a total of 24 boundaries in his top innings.
Of course there will be those who will grumble that he did it against a Dutch bowling attack – just wait until he comes up against a Mitchell Starc or a Jasprit Bumrah; then you see a different story.
The argument does indeed have merit, but most couch pundits would probably struggle to score 30 runs in a backyard cricket match; not to mention 175 runs.
Then Miller also showed why he is considered one of the most dangerous white-ball cricket batsmen on the international stage.
He hit ten boundaries in his lightning innings of 91 runs and he hit his runs at a strike rate of 149.18.
The Proteas ended up scoring 370/8 in their allotted 50 overs.
South Africa 370/8 in 50 overs: Aiden Markram 175, David Miller 91 and Fred Klaassen 2/43.
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Sisanda Magala, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortjé and Tabraiz Shamsi.
The Netherlands: Vikramjit Singh, Max O’Dowd, Musa Ahmed, Wesley Barresi, Tom Cooper, Scott Edwards (captain), Shariz Ahmad, Aryan Dutt, Paul van Meekeren, Fred Klaassen and Vivian Kingma.
