[WATCH] Tons of runs: Proteas klap three centuries in record innings to smash Sri Lanka
|Published
Fastest Cup 100: Aiden Markram.Picture credit: Deepak Malik
South Africa kicked their Cricket World Cup campaign off with a big bang on Saturday by scoring the most runs in an innings in the history of the tournament and klapping Sri Lanka by 102 runs in the process in New Delhi, India.
The Lankans made a groot fout by sending in the Proteas to bat first, with opener Quinton de Kock (100 off 84 balls), Rassie van der Dussen (108 off 110) and Aiden Markram (106 off 54) all getting tons as SA posted a helse 428/5 in their 50 overs.
In reply, Sri Lanka got 326 all out, with Gerald Coetzee (3/68) and Kagiso Rabada (2/50) returning the best figures for South Africa.
RESULT | #PROTEAS WIN BY 102 RUNS 🚨
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 7, 2023
A record-breaking match comes to an end as we get our #CWC23 campaign off to a solid start#SAvSL #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/akiL3z4Cyd
Kusal Mendis (76 off 42) and Charith Asalanka (79 off 65) and captain Dasun Shanaka (68 off 62) fought bravely for the Lankans, but there could only ever be one result after South Africa’s mammoth score.
Records broken ✅✅✅#CWC23 #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/oLZSAj1RiD
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 8, 2023
The biggest hope their opponents had was at the start of the match when left-arm seamer Dilshan Madushanka trapped South Africa captain Temba Bavuma leg before with his score on eight, and SA’s reading 10/1 in the second over.
But it would be exactly 29 overs later for the Lankans to celebrated their second wicket, after De Kock and Van der Dussen posted 204 runs for the second wicket before former top-edged a Matheesha Pathirana delivery straight after reaching his 100.
Van der Dussen and Markram took the score to 264 in the 38th over, before the former was caught at long on.
It was then Markram show, as he smashed the fastest ever ton at a World Cup - off just 49 balls.
His innings included 14 fours and three sixes before he miscued a Dilshan Madushanka full toss and was caught at long off.
Heinrich Klaasen (32 off 20), David Miller (39* off 21) and Marco Jansen (12*0ff 7) took SA to 428/5 - the highest score in the history of the World Cup and effectively game over for the Lankans.
From the skipper @TembaBavuma to you, our fans 💚![CDATA[]]>🇿![CDATA[]]>🇦#CWC23 #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/so8mJKm0nu
— Proteas Men (@ProteasMenCSA) October 8, 2023
The three tons by in the innings was also a World Cup first.
Coach Rob Walter will be hoping this is a great confidence booster for when they face old foes Australia on Thursday.