Markram century, Magala five-for leads Proteas to ODI win over Netherlands

Aiden Markram put in a starring performance to help the Proteas clinch a thumping 146-run win over the Netherlands in their ODI clash at the Wanderers on Sunday afternoon.

Markram hammered a career best 175 off just 126 balls, slamming 17 fours and seven sixes as the Proteas posted a big 370/8 batting first.

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Fast bowler Sisanda Magala then picked up a maiden career five wicket haul as he ended with top figures of 5/43 to help bowl the Netherlands out for 224.

The Netherlands were well in the hunt at a stage in their chase on 151/2 in the 26^th over, only for Markram to be introduced into the attack and strike in his first over, removing top scorer Musa Ahmad for 61, with Heinrich Klaasen taking a stunning catch.

From there the Netherlands lost regular wickets over the rest of their innings to fall well short of the hosts total in the end.

Markram’s century was his first in ODI cricket in his 50^th appearance for the Proteas, with him claiming that he had to follow the correct processes to finally reach the milestone.

“It is a bit of a relief, it took a while (to get his century). It’s also really nice to do it in a must win game for us and to help us post a really good total,” said Markram after his innings.

“At some stage you have to repay the faith for your selection, so it was nice to do that today. But it’s important to follow the right processes while you’re batting. Sometimes you get them wrong and sometimes you get them right. So I am grateful it came right today.”

On the brink

The win puts the Proteas on the brink of automatic qualification for the ODI World Cup to be hosted in India later this year.

They have now moved up into the eighth and final automatic qualifying spot on the World Cup Super League standings on 98 points.

The only team that can catch them is Ireland who need to win all three of their ODI’s against Bangladesh in May to draw level, with net run rate then deciding who would progress between the two sides.

In the match it was a brilliant 199-run fifth wicket partnership between Markram and David Miller, who smashed 91 off 61 balls (9×4; 4×6), that set them up for the imposing total.

Markram also shared in important partnerships of 62 for the third wicket with Rassie van der Dussen (25) and 51 for the fourth wicket with Klaasen (28).

The Netherlands then made a good fist of their chase initially with Max O’Dowd (47), captain Scott Edwards (42) and Ahmad all making positive contributions, but the lack of someone kicking on to a big score cost them.

Magala was brilliant, with four of his five wickets bowled, while Markram made a great all-round contribution with figures of 2/40.