LEARNING FAST
How Ray Jennings opened the door for Aiden Markram
Who do South African cricket fans have to thank for the happy fact that Aiden Markram has rocketed up the list of viable opening options? Ray Jennings‚ who told the young batsman before the 2014 under-19 World Cup: "Your only outside chance of making the side is to open the batting." At least‚ that is how Markram remembers his conversation with his then coach. Markram batted at the top of the order at primary school‚ but at high school he was more often deployed at No3 or 4. Clearly Jennings knew what he was on about — which did not stop Cricket SA from dumping him as under-19 coach less than eight weeks after he returned with the only World Cup trophy SA have won. Markram‚ who captained SA‚ was their highest runscorer‚ the third-highest overall and the only South African in the top 10. "It worked out well‚" he said with the kind of understatement that is going to make reporters groan after he makes his debut at senior international level. That could happen in the coming months on S...
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