Aiden Markram’s catch off Harry Brook was a big moment: Quinton de Kock after SA win
Quinton de Kock hailed Aiden Markram’s stunning catch of Harry Brook as a big moment.
In the game between South Africa and England at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia on June 21, Friday. South Africa managed a thriller win by 7 runs against England in the Super 8s match as they inch closer towards semi-final qualification. Markram’s stunner against Brook turned the tide in South Africa’s favour. The England batter looked in sublime touch as he had scored 53 runs from 37 balls and was on course to get his team over the line.
During the final over of the chase, England needed 14 runs in the last six balls to win the match. Anrich Nortje was bowling the last over and Brook aired the very first delivery. Markram took a brilliant catch running back from mid-off. He had his eyes set on the ball as he was running back and looking over his right shoulder. He stretched fully and completed the catch to take the game away from England.
De Kock credited captan Markram for adding to the small moments which contributed to South Africa winning.
“No, definitely not. I’ve played against enough of the England boys around the world. You get one of them get going. They’re all match winners; they can win games from anywhere. Looked like Harry was well on the way to be doing that then obviously Aidan just took a stunner which was a big moment for us in the context of the game so yeah, I’m not saying that just the time we won it but just small moments,” De Kock told the media in the post-match press-conference.
Makram’s impeccable athleticism
De Kock pointed out that Markram practiced for such big catches in the practice sessions.
“Yeah, I don’t think the TV does it justice when people are watching from the outside. From the angle of the wicket, coming straight down, there’s a massive left to right wind from my direction. I don’t know, maybe like 40km an hour, 50km an hour. So, it’s not the ball’s just getting pushed, but also getting moved that way. And he actually turned on the inside. So, the ball’s always moving towards the boundary.”
“And credit to – I’ve seen Aiden, I think a lot of the guys, everybody takes the high catches but he practices those catches all the time. So, you don’t really see it when I play in other teams around the world, you’ve got different captains, I don’t see them really practicing that sort of, those catches, but I see him did it and he won us a game well won us a moment in the game today,” De Kock added.
The South African opener played a match-winning knock of 65 runs from 38 balls against England.