Aiden Markram smashed 175 off 126 balls as South Africa cruised to a comfortable 146-run victory over the Netherlands in the third World Cup Super League one-day international at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Sunday.

“We did exactly what we wanted to do,” said South Africa captain Temba Bavuma at the after-match presentation.

With their second big win in three days, South Africa moved up to eighth place in the Super League table, passing the West Indies and improving their net run rate.

Ireland is the only team capable of preventing South Africa from qualifying automatically for the World Cup, but they must defeat Bangladesh 3-0 in a series in England next month in order to draw level on points.

Ireland must also increase their net run rate.

“In terms of the points and qualification, we’ve done ourselves justice,” said Bavuma.

“In the cricket as well, there were a lot of positives in the batting and the bowling.”

After the first game was postponed due to a Covid scare in November 2021, South Africa finished the series with a 2-0 victory.

In June and July, the West Indies must compete in a qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe to determine the final two teams that will compete in the World Cup in India in October and November.

Markram scored his first one-day international century by hitting 17 fours and 7 sixes.

With a fifth-wicket stand of 199 off 118 balls, he and David Miller (91) pushed the South African total to 370 for eight.

The Netherlands made a valiant effort to keep up with the required run rate, but they lost their last five wickets for seven runs and were dismissed for 224.

Four of Sisanda Magala’s victims were bowled during his first international five-wicket haul, in which he took five wickets for 43 runs.

Left-handed batsman Musa Ahmed received two painful blows to the chest and shoulder early on from express fast bowler Anrich Nortje, but he went on to score 61, his first international fifty.

Scott Edwards, captain of the Netherlands, stated that his team was competitive with South Africa for portions of both games.

“Three-hundred and seventy was always going to be tough,” he said.

“We kept up with the rate but we needed someone to get a big score like Aiden.”

In addition to the hosts, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Scotland, and Oman, the Dutch will also compete in the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe.

The remaining three spots in the 10-team competition have yet to be determined.

Photo by Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix