Precocious Aiden Markram blasts Titans to the One-day Cup title

Openers Aiden Markram and Henry Davids were able to cover themselves in glory once again as they both scored centuries to lead the Titans an easy victory in the domestic One-day Cup final against the Warriors in Centurion on Friday.

In the process, they also helped the hosts hammer 425/5 – the highest ever score in domestic 50-over cricket.

Even with AB de Villiers pulling out to rest a niggly back, the Titans had more than enough batting firepower to overwhelm their opponents.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Markram (161 off 123 balls) and Davids (114 off 98) gradually seized control.

Both displayed incredible maturity and composure as there was never a hint of a rush.

Neither batsmen belts the cover off the ball, preferring delicious timing and placement.

They comfortably scored at around a run-a-ball in the early stages of their partnership and stayed risk-free.

Davids reached his fourth half-century of the campaign, to go with two centuries and a Titans record for the most number of runs in a season, off 52 balls, with seven fours and two sixes.

The veteran went to a highly-impressive 86-ball century.

A poor Warriors fielding display made it no easier for the bowlers on a good batting pitch.

The most costly of the three catches they dropped came with Markram on 62 when Lesiba Ngoepe spilt a routine chance at long-on off Smuts, who had no luck with his crafty spin.

Davids fell in the 30^th over for 114 off 98 balls, a great innings that set up his team perfectly for the final, checking a drive off Smuts and Ngoepe this time taking the catch at long-on.

The opening stand had been worth 212 off 183 deliveries and there was no stopping the Titans as Heinrich Klaasen, with no competitive cricket to his name since February 17, breezed to 60 off 50 balls.

He and Markram added 133 for the second wicket off just 90 balls, a record for the franchise against the Warriors.

Markram, so good at biding his time and impressively efficient at cashing in when the loose balls come, notched his second one-day century of the season off 96 balls.

He then plundered 61 more runs off his next 27 deliveries, finishing with 11 fours and seven sixes.

The bleeding was to get worse for the Warriors, however, as Chris Morris completed the massacre in the bloodiest fashion possible.

The lanky Proteas all-rounder plundering 47 not out off just 12 balls, as 45 runs came off the last two overs, allowing the Titans to streak past the previous record score – the 415 for three they had smashed against the Highveld Lions at the Wanderers just two weeks ago.

Needing 8.52 runs-per-over to win, the Warriors were almost immediately behind the eight-ball as they crashed to 22 for three inside the first five overs.

Morris bowled Gihahn Cloete for three in his first over and Lungi Ngidi then removed the Warriors’ trumpcards – Ingram (1) and Smuts (13) – in successive overs, using the extra bounce he gets from a good length.

Colin Ackermann (39), Yaseen Vallie (35) and Jerry Nqolo (40) all briefly counter-attacked, but the Warriors are still paying learning fees in franchise finals as they were handed a chastening defeat.

They were bowled out after just 31 overs for 189, to lose by 236 runs, the second-biggest defeat in competition history.

Wrist-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi finished with outstanding figures of three for 31 in nine overs, while there were two wickets apiece for Junior Dala, Morris and Ngidi.

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