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  • Marques Ackerman Equals 18 Year Old Test Record With Twin Fifties Vs Australia

Marques Ackerman Equals 18-Year-Old Test Record With Twin Fifties vs Australia

Mayank

Marques Ackerman scored two fifties vs Australia in Cape Town [Source: CREX/X.com]Marques Ackerman scored two fifties vs Australia in Cape Town [Source: CREX/X.com]

South African opener Marques Ackerman was the main man for the hosts against Australia with the bat at Newlands, Cape Town, solving their recent opening woes. He paired up with Aiden Markram in the second Test and looked at home, taking on the bowlers in the series decider.

Ackerman usually bats in the middle-order for Dolphins as well as South Africa A, but having played 85 First Class matches, when the opportunity arrived, he had to slot in as an opener. The 30-year-old did not disappoint and immediately had an impact on the series.

Ackerman scores twin fifties to join Graeme Smith

The first innings of the Cape Town Test saw Marques Ackerman translating his FC numbers into international cricket as he was seen blitzing the high-quality Australian attack in the first session of the match. Ackerman combined with Markram for a 158-run stand, scoring 95 in just 94 balls with 12 fours and 2 sixes.

Later in the match, as the Proteas were trailing by 100 runs in the second innings, the southpaw was in a similar mood as the first innings. He lost Markram and David Bedingham early but scored 62 in 80 balls with 8 fours to bring up twin fifties in the game to help South Africa close down the defecit.

With these two fifties, Ackerman, only in his second Test became the first South African opener to score two fifties in a match since 2008. The last time this happened was when Graeme Smith scored 62(113) and 75(94) in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. South Africa chased 183 in the match and subsequently won the series 1-2.

Ackerman impresses early in Test career

Apart from the aforementioned 18-year-old record, Ackerman also became the first Proteas opener with 50+ scores in both innings against Australia at home since 2002. The last player to do so was Herschelle Gibbs in Durban, 2002. Gibbs racked up 51(66) and 104(198) and SA chased down 335 runs by 5 wickets in the match.

Ackerman joined the team with a reputation of scoring massive centuries at a high strike rate. In only his second Test, he tried to selflessly take on Nathan Lyon at 95 and missed a delivery fired wide outside off to get stumped. "You live by the sword and you die by it," he reacted after getting out.

South Africa have been in a search of a reliable partner for Aiden Markram for a while now and if Ackerman keeps up what he is doing in the series, he could solve their problems, with a potential WTC Final coming up in the summer of 2027.