Markram provides timely reminder of the beauty of cricket

After a few days where Test cricket was plunged into a full-blown crisis when Steve Smith‚ David Warner and Cameron Bancroft admitted to ball-tempering‚ 23-year old Aiden Markram issued a timely reminder about the beauty of this sport when played the right way.

Markram did not use any methods outside the rule book but he backed his natural talent to sparkle to his richly deserved fourth Test century that has come after just 10 outings and seven months as an international cricketer for South Africa.

By the time he departed the scene of his carnage accompanied by a standing ovation from the 17 023 crowd after he was caught by Mitchell Marsh at gully from Pat Cummins just after 4pm‚ he had scored a magnificent 152 off 216 in during his 309 minutes on the crease.

Due to his brilliance‚ South Africa were in a good position on 313/6 after 88 overs at stumps of day one of the fourth and final test with Temba Bavuma on 25 off 50 and Quinton de Kock 7 off 12.

For most of his time in the middle‚ Markram was supported by the equally brilliant De Villiers (69) after the Proteas lost Dean Elgar (19) and Hashim Amla (27) in the first and second sessions from the bowling of Nathan Lyon and Cummins respectively.

In his delightful knock‚ which included 17 boundaries and one maximum at a strike rate of 70.37‚ Markram enhanced his reputation as one of the finest batsmen in the world and he has put himself in contention to be named the player of the series.

It is also worth noting that in his short career he was unlucky to be dismissed in the nervous 90s twice on debut against Bangladesh in Potchefstroom last year and against India in Centurion earlier this year.

Markram also improved his best score in Test cricket from 143 to 152 and his partnership with De Villiers was worth 105 runs.

He was finally removed in the 71st over and quickly followed by his captain Faf du Plessis‚ who was trapped in front without scoring by Australia’s best bowler of the day Cummins‚ who was on a hat-trick.

Debutant Chadd Sayers got into the act in the closing stages of the third session where the Proteas lost four wickets by removing De Villiers‚ who scored his 46th Test half-century‚ on 69 off 119‚ and nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada (0) in quick succession.

Cummins ended his impressive day’s work with figures of 3/53 after 19 overs‚ Sayers on 2/62 after 26 overs and Lyon on 1/95 after 21 while Josh Hazlewood‚ Mitchell Marsh and Matt Renshaw did not register their names in the wicket-takers list.