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Aiden Markram leads South Africa to a seven-wicket win over England at Headingley, smashing a record 23-ball fifty and breaking Chris Morris’ milestone.
Aiden Markram scored a 23-ball fifty against England (Picture credit: AFP)
Star South Africa batter Aiden Markram on Tuesday smashed a 23-ball fifty against a hapless England to lead his team to a seven-wicket win at Headingley, breaking a nine-year-old record held by Chris Morris. Markram played a big role in South Africa’s chase down of 132.
Markram showed no mercy to debutant pacer Sonny Baker, dispatching him to the boundary. During their chase of 132, South Africa raced past the 50-run mark in the sixth over, registering their third-fastest team half-century in ODI history.
Markram smashed the fastest half-century by a Protea batter against England, breaking Morris’ record. The latter had gone past the 50-run mark off 30 deliveries in 2016 at the Wanderers.
Markram and Ryan Rickelton registered South Africa’s first 100+ opening partnership against England in ODIs since Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock’s 239-run stand at Centurion in 2016.
In the end, South Africa went over the line with 187 deliveries to spare as Rickelton and Dewald Brevis remained unbeaten on 31 and 6.
South Africa’s victory with 175 balls remaining was their biggest margin of victory in an away ODI. Just once before Tuesday have the Proteas beaten England with more deliveries to spare in ODIs, by 184 balls in the 2007 World Cup in Bridgetown.
A win for the Proteas was all but assured after they skittled out England for just 131 with more than half of the hosts’ overs remaining.
Left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj (4-22) and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder (3-33) did the bulk of the damage at an overcast Headingley after Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma won the toss.
Markram then struck a 23-ball half-century, including eight boundaries and two sixes, as South Africa finished on 137/3 with almost 30 overs to spare.
Markram was dismissed for 86, well caught by a diving Jamie Smith at cover off leg-spinner Adil Rashid (3-26).
Rashid then took two wickets in two deliveries on his Yorkshire home ground with the scores level.
Brevis survived the hat-trick and next delivery finished the game with a straight six off Rashid as the Proteas went 1-0 up in a three-match series, with Brook’s six-match winning streak as England’s white-ball skipper coming to an emphatic end.
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