Johannesburg - Aiden Markram said his dismissal was a pivotal point not just in the South African innings, but ultimately Sunday’s second One-Day International that India won easily by seven wickets with 25 balls to spare.
Markram was responsible for putting South Africa in a strong position thanks to a 129-run third wicket partnership he shared with Reeza Hendricks. However Markram’s wicket, three balls after the dismissal of Heinrich Klaasen meant South Africa had two new batters at the wicket with the final 10 overs of the innings beckoning.
“I would have liked to have taken it 10 overs deeper and be there for the last five overs and try and cash in,” said Markram, who top scored for the Proteas with 79 off 89 balls. “Maybe that’s where the 15 to 20 runs we were shot came about, it might have been on me.”
“Whenever a team goes ‘bang, bang,’ the fielding team gets all the momentum going in their direction.”
Markram had played second fiddle in a 46-run fourth wicket partnership with Klaasen, who scored 30 came off 26 balls and had appeared to be giving the tourists’ innings much-needed impetus.
However South Africa scored just 57 runs in the last 10 overs, with Markram crediting India’s bowlers for keeping the Proteas tied down in that period.
“They bowled into the pitch, the ball was dying in the wicket and then it becomes difficult (to score). David Miller is in the form of his life and if he is struggling to hit (the ball) out the park, it tells you that one; they bowled really well and two, the conditions were quite tough at the time,” said Markram.
Shreyas Iyer with an unbeaten 113 and Ishan Kishan, who scored 93, shared a 161-run partnership for the third wicket, which decisively turned the match India’s way. The pair made batting look easier than was the case earlier and Markram said the dew played a significant factor, making the task of the South African bowlers, especially the spinners, harder.
“Having bowled a couple of overs, the ball was quite wet, we definitely saw the impact of the dew this evening. In hindsight we can always say we might have got it wrong (by choosing to bat) but looking at the wicket, it was really dry and that was the reason for us batting first,”said Markram.
“I didn’t think we bowled badly, they hit some good balls for boundaries and when good balls are going for boundaries it makes things tough to slow down.”
The deciding match of the three-game series will be played in Delhi on Tuesday.
IOL Sport