Markram, Magala shine as South Africa clinch 146-run victory in second ODI against Zimbabwe

Aiden Markram scored his first ODI century, and went on to score a mammoth 169, as South Africa set the Netherlands a formidable target of 353 to win the final match of the ODI series at the Wanderers Stadium. The home team won the match by 146 runs and won the series 2-0. David Miller also starred with a quickfire 64-ball 100, which included five sixes and nine fours. The duo shared a 199-run partnership for the fifth wicket in just 118 balls, scoring at more than ten runs per over. The 10,000 fans at the Wanderers were treated to a batting display reminiscent of the 2015 match against the West Indies when the Proteas scored a then-world record of 439 for two.

Netherlands gave it their all in the chase, but South Africa was always in control, with Markram also impressing with the ball, finishing with figures of 2 for 40, while Sisanda Magala ended his exceptional summer with a career-best 5 for 43. Netherlands got off to a decent start with an 85-run partnership between Max O’Dowd and Musa Ahmed, but the required run-rate proved to be too much for the visitors, and they were eventually bowled out for 206 in the 39th over.

Markram’s 169 is now the joint sixth-highest individual score by a South African in ODI cricket, and his innings included 16 fours and four sixes. It was also South Africa’s third-highest total at the Wanderers in ODI cricket. The match was played in the pink kit to raise awareness for breast cancer, and it was a fitting end to a summer of cricket in South Africa that has seen the sport surge back to life in the country.

South Africa will now turn their attention to the T20I series against Pakistan, which starts on 10 April. Meanwhile, the win against Netherlands has helped South Africa climb to eighth in the World Cup Super League table, putting them in the automatic qualification zone for the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup. However, they will only stay there if Ireland fail to whitewash Bangladesh 3-0 in May. The Proteas will be looking to avoid a trip to Zimbabwe for the qualifying tournament in June, and they will be hoping that Ireland does not upset the apple cart.