Markram underlines his potential
Aiden Markram confirmed his emergence as one of the outstanding young opening batting talents in the country with a career best 182 for Northerns against Western Province at PPC Newlands in the latest round of Sunfoil Series three-day matches.
His innings (296 balls, 28 fours and a six) set up a vital win for Northerns by an innings to put his side top of Pool A although they only have one match left to play. They have a tally of 96.90 points followed by Western Province (91.98), North West (85.70) and KZN (78.38). Both WP and KZN have three matches left to play and North West two.
In the process Markram became the first player in this season’s competition to achieve an aggregate of more than 600 runs and also achieved the personal landmark of his 1 000 first-class run in his 19th match.
It was only two years ago that Markram was leading South Africa to the under-19 world crown.
Once Markram had laid the foundation, Lerato Kgoatle, who is normally also an opening batsman but came in at No. 8 as he was keeping wicket, also helped himself to a century (123 off 112 balls, 11 four and 4 sixes) and shared the biggest ninth-wicket partnership of the season of 116 with Rowan Richards (51 not out off 102 balls, 4 fours and a six).
Richards is also the leading wicket-taker with 37 at 17.81 and he and Eldrid Hawken (33 at 13.06) have taken 70 wickets between them.
The other centuries of the weekend came from Patrick Botha of Free State who made 94 and then 109 not out against Eastern Province, Lefa Mosena, who made 105 for KZN Inland against Gauteng, and Sammy Avontuur whose 142 put them on the way to an innings victory over Border.
KZN Inland were unable to force an outright victory against Gauteng after leading by 164 on the first innings. When stumps were called, Gauteng were still trailing by one run with only three second innings wickets in hand.
EP were involved in a high-scoring draw against Free State and these results mean that EP top Pool B (69.02) followed by KZN Inland (66.42) and Easterns (64.48). Gauteng and Boland, who managed to beat KZN in two days, are also very much in the picture with all four these teams having a game in hand over EP.
In the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge SWD overwhelmed Border by 131 runs, KZN Inland beat Gauteng by 64 runs, Free State beat EP by 5 wickets and Western Province beat Northerns by 162 runs.
Wayne Parnell made an excellent return from injury for the winners, making 92 off 107 balls and then taking 2/6 in 3 overs.
In the only match in the CSA Provincial T20, KZN beat Boland by 6 wickets.
The latest edition of the Under/19 World Cup is currently underway in Bangladesh.
The host nation earlier today defeated South Africa by 40 runs in Chittagong.
Liam Smith top scored for the young Proteas with 100.
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre
In the process Markram became the first player in this season’s competition to achieve an aggregate of more than 600 runs and also achieved the personal landmark of his 1 000 first-class run in his 19th match.
It was only two years ago that Markram was leading South Africa to the under-19 world crown.
Once Markram had laid the foundation, Lerato Kgoatle, who is normally also an opening batsman but came in at No. 8 as he was keeping wicket, also helped himself to a century (123 off 112 balls, 11 four and 4 sixes) and shared the biggest ninth-wicket partnership of the season of 116 with Rowan Richards (51 not out off 102 balls, 4 fours and a six).
Richards is also the leading wicket-taker with 37 at 17.81 and he and Eldrid Hawken (33 at 13.06) have taken 70 wickets between them.
The other centuries of the weekend came from Patrick Botha of Free State who made 94 and then 109 not out against Eastern Province, Lefa Mosena, who made 105 for KZN Inland against Gauteng, and Sammy Avontuur whose 142 put them on the way to an innings victory over Border.
KZN Inland were unable to force an outright victory against Gauteng after leading by 164 on the first innings. When stumps were called, Gauteng were still trailing by one run with only three second innings wickets in hand.
EP were involved in a high-scoring draw against Free State and these results mean that EP top Pool B (69.02) followed by KZN Inland (66.42) and Easterns (64.48). Gauteng and Boland, who managed to beat KZN in two days, are also very much in the picture with all four these teams having a game in hand over EP.
In the CSA Provincial One-Day Challenge SWD overwhelmed Border by 131 runs, KZN Inland beat Gauteng by 64 runs, Free State beat EP by 5 wickets and Western Province beat Northerns by 162 runs.
Wayne Parnell made an excellent return from injury for the winners, making 92 off 107 balls and then taking 2/6 in 3 overs.
In the only match in the CSA Provincial T20, KZN beat Boland by 6 wickets.
The latest edition of the Under/19 World Cup is currently underway in Bangladesh.
The host nation earlier today defeated South Africa by 40 runs in Chittagong.
Liam Smith top scored for the young Proteas with 100.
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre