South Africa boosts World Cup hopes with 146-run win over Netherlands

South Africa moved into the last automatic qualifying place for the Cricket World Cup after routing the Netherlands by 146 runs in the third one-day international on Sunday.

Aiden Markram's 175 had sent the home team on the way to a commanding 370-8 batting first after losing the toss.

The Netherlands was all out for 224 in 39.1 overs at the Wanderers, with seamer Sisanda Magala claiming 5-43 to take South Africa to victory.

The crucial win for South Africa saw it move up to eighth in the one-day Super League standings. South Africa can now only be dislodged if Ireland sweeps Bangladesh in a three-game ODI series in Ireland next month.

South Africa had faced the prospect of having to play in a qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe to make this year's World Cup in India. But wins in the second ODI against the Netherlands on Friday and Sunday's emphatic victory took the Proteas above West Indies in the qualifying standings.

This series was a continuation of a contest that started in 2021 with a game that was washed out before the series was postponed — ultimately for two years — because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

South Africa eventually won the series 2-0 but it was the World Cup qualifying points from the last two games that were most precious for the Proteas.

South Africa's big total always looked too much for the Dutch, with Markram smashing the joint sixth-highest ODI score by a South African for his first 50-over century. He crunched 17 fours and seven sixes.

Markram and David Miller (91) put on a partnership of 199 for the fifth wicket as South Africa surged from 145-4 when they came together in the 26th over to 347-6 by the time they were both out just over 20 overs later.

Their almost double-century stand came off 118 balls and Miller fell just short of a century when he top-edged going for a big hit and was caught and bowled by Paul van Meekeren (2-79).

Musa Ahmed top-scored with 61 for the Netherlands and his partnership of 85 for the second wicket with opener Max O'Dowd (47) provided a little resistance.

Magala broke that partnership and Markram claimed Ahmed's wicket with his off spin thanks to a low, diving catch by Heinrich Klaasen.

After Ahmed went, Netherlands lost its last seven wickets for 73 runs.