Markram makes his mark with maiden Test ton

Aiden Markram scored his maiden Test century to help South Africa build what will surely be a mountain of runs against Bangladesh in Bloemfontein on Friday.

Markram was 135 not out at tea on the first day of the second Test‚ which South Africa reached on 256/1 after being put in to bat.

With Dean Elgar‚ Markram shared an opening stand of 243‚ which ended in the third over before tea when Elgar was caught at fine leg off medium pacer Subashis Roy for 113.

The fielder was Mustafizur Rhaman‚ who had Elgar dropped by wicketkeeper Liton Das when he was 109.

Elgar took guard needing 16 runs to become the first South African to reach 1000 Tests runs in a calendar year since Hashim Amla in 2012.

He reached the landmark with the last ball of the fourth over‚ a delivery from Subashis‚ that he drove through mid-on for four.

Then Elgar set about repairing the damage he caused by running out Markram for 97 on his debut in Potchefstroom in the first Test.

Bangladesh won the toss and‚ perhaps‚ declined to bat first on what appeared to be a sound surface.

It seems the nightmare of their second innings in Potch‚ where they were dismissed for their record low of 90 despite good batting conditions‚ remains alive in their heads.

South Africa won that match by 333 runs‚ but in the winning of it Morne Morkel was ruled out for up to six weeks with a torn side.

Wayne Parnell replaced Morkel in the team for the second Test.

Bangladesh made four changes‚ the most important of them forced — Soumya Sarkar replaced Tamim Iqbal‚ who has a thigh problem.