SA vs NED: South Africa moves to brink of World Cup qualification

Led by Aiden Markram’s 175-run knock, South Africa beat Netherlands by 146 runs to move into the top eight of the World Super League.

Aiden Markram scored 175 runs in South Africa’s third ODI against the Netherlands. | Photo Credit: AFP

Aiden Markram scored a century and Sisanda Magala claimed five wickets to lead South Africa to a 146-run win over the Netherlands in the 3rd One-Day international on Sunday and move it to the brink of World Cup qualification.

Markram hit 175 runs off 126 balls as South Africa, put into bat, scored 370-8 off its 50 overs before Magala took his first five-wicket haul to help dismiss the Dutch for 224.

The win lifted South Africa into eighth place in the World Cup Super League standings, from where it can automatically qualify for the World Cup in October.

The top eight teams participate in the tournament in India, and South Africa can now only be knocked out of the top eight by Ireland, which must win all three games in its home series against Bangladesh next month to do so.

Markham brought up his first ODI ton as he attacked the Dutch bowlers in a 199-run fifth-wicket partnership with David Miller, who blasted 91 off 61 balls before skying a shot and missing out on his century.

Markham thrashed 17 fours and seven sixes while Miller hit 10 boundaries.

The Netherlands bowling attack started brightly, dismissing South Africa’s openers cheaply but then came in for a peppering, eventually going at a rate of 7.4 per over.

Musa Ahmed scored an ODI career best 61 and Max O’Dowd contributed 47 as the Dutch gamely chased a formidable target but were never able to keep up with the required run rate. They were bowled out in 39.1 overs.

South Africa’s victory, which followed an eight-wicket win over the Dutch in Benoni on Friday, knocked the West Indies out of eighth place in the Super League standings and condemned it to participating in the qualifying playoff tournament in Zimbabwe in June where it will chase one of two available places at the 10-team World Cup.

Already qualified for the tournament from October 5-November 19 are Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, Pakistan and host India.