Markram says his success due to batters around him

WITHIN the space of a week, South Africa’s cricketers would have travelled the broad spectrum of Australia’s vast landscape. From east to west and back again. Four hours and 50 minutes one way, then four hours and 15 minutes back again.

These are the sacrifices if a T20 World Cup is to be won.

As Aiden Markram said after the Proteas’ epic win over India at Perth Stadium on Sunday, “it’s just about finding a way”.

It is a trait that forms the backbone of this group of Proteas.

Consistently referred to as a team without any “superstars”, the coming together of a couple of prodigal sons – who have a coach and captain nobody supposedly wants – it’s quite an achievement that the South Africans find themselves top of Group 2 and the destiny of their progression to the semifinals in their own hands with two games remaining.

This is partially due to the fact that, particularly the batting unit, there is no sole reliance on any individual to get the job done.

In the not too distant past, Quinton de Kock shouldered plenty of that responsibility.

The return of Rilee Rossouw has alleviated that pressure. And then there is Markram.

If ever there was a tortured genius, it is the 28-year-old from Pretoria.

Anointed the golden child of South African cricket ever since he lifted the Under19 World Cup in 2014, he has not quite lived up to the billing.

Markram – along with the old hand of the batting unit, veteran left-hander David Miller – has been remarkably consistent in a format where inconsistency is the only constant.

Sunday’s half-century against India was Markram’s fifth in 12 innings since the start of last year’s T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

In that period, Markram has accumulated 416 runs at an average of 46.22 and strike-rate of 149.10.

But here is where that strong Ubuntu spirit comes through again, with Markram clarifying that his success is only due to the performances of the other batters around him.

“In a format like this you have to take risks where you have to play a positive brand of cricket. It certainly helps when your batters seem to be in form,” Markram said.

“It does free us up a bit. It definitely does help ... It’s just about finding a way.

“Hopefully, all the batters can take on from that going forward.”

There is, of course, the lingering issue regarding captain Temba Bavuma’s lack of runs after the skipper managed just 10 off 15 balls against India.

But Markram, and the rest of the Proteas squad, insist that Bavuma remains a vital part of the team.

“Every player goes through these sort of form slumps,” Markram said.

“With games that are so close to each other, it can seem a lot worse than what it is. The whole team and management have been there for Temba.

“We all know his ability and the role that he plays, not just from batting, but also from a leadership point of view as well.

“His leadership, in my opinion, has been excellent.

“On-field decisions have been really good that he’s making.

“I’ve got no doubt that he’ll come right with the bat, and yeah, if he does, and we can get off to some good starts, I think it’s going to help our batting unit a lot, but certainly not doubting his ability at all.”