Aiden Markram would have been expected to be gutted after he was run out on 97 on day one of the first Test against Bangladesh‚ denying him a century on Test debut in Potchefstroom on Thursday.
But Markram shrugged off the mishap and said his misfortune is ‘part of the game’ after South Africa ended with a solid lead of 298/1 on the first day against Bangladesh.
“This is the way this game works‚" said the 22-year old former South African U19 captain with a boyish smile as he articulated the incident with maturity that belied his youthful years.
"It never cease to amaze us but I am just happy that the team is in a good position going into day two.
“I am more than happy to take the 97 because if you told me last night that I would get that score‚ I would not have believed you.
"I got myself in no man’s land but it is part of the game and you have to take it on the chin and move on.”
Markram said Elgar‚ who batted the entire day and ended unbeaten on 128 off 285‚ was upset with himself about the miscommunication but urged him to go on for the team’s sake.
“He (Elgar) was extremely upset.
"We have come a long way and we have developed a good friendship.
"It was tough for him and a bitter pill to swallow‚ but I told him that he must to go on for the team’s sake.”
When he returned back to the pavilion‚ Markram said there was silence as his team-mates commiserated with him.
“It was relatively quiet‚ but there were 'well done' messages.
"I sort of told myself that it is not a be-all and end-all.
"It is part of the game and I am just happy that we have put ourselves in a good position‚” he said‚ while adding that he was gripped by nerves the night before and on the morning of the match.
“If I reflect to the night before the match‚ I could barely get an hour of sleep.
"But at the end of the day‚ it is just a game.
"I was extremely nervous‚ especially after the national anthems.
"But that first run‚ that first boundary ..... calm the nerves down and that’s all it took for me. - TimesLIVE
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