Makram shines in Proteas WC win

AIDEN Markram struck the fastest century in ICC World Cup history as the Proteas beat Sri Lanka by 102 runs in their tumultuous opening pool match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi yesterday.

South Africa, sent in to bat after losing the toss, pulverised the Sri Lankan attack to record the highest total in World Cup history, 428 for five in their 50 overs. Markram’s 100 off just 49 balls pipped Kevin O’Brien’s effort against England in 2011 by just one ball when he hooked paceman Dilshan Madushanka for six. But it was not just Markram who made the difference.

There were also superb hundreds from Quinton de Kock (100 in 84 balls, 12x4s, 3x6s) — his first World Cup ton — and Rassie van der Dussen (108 in 110 balls, 13x4s, 2x6s) who combined to put on 204 in 178 balls for the second wicket, setting up the Proteas’ huge total. It was also the first time in World Cup history that hundreds were scored by three batters in one team. Add in explosive contributions from Heinrich Klaasen (32 from 20 balls) and David Miller (39* in 21 balls) and you get some idea of the extent of South Africa’s achievement. But Sri Lanka fired back with ferocity, compiling 326 all out in 44.5 overs in reply, which in other circumstances would have been a match-winning effort. It was a tough outing for all the bowlers, with Marcus Jansen, for example, finishing with an eye-popping two for 92 runs off his 10 overs while World Cup debutant Gerald Coetzee was the most successful, taking three for68 in nine overs despite being clobbered for 23 in one of them.