Rhys Mariu capped off an impressive tour of South Africa A with another century, finishing the two-match unofficial Test series with 414 runs.
The 23-year-old opener, who was New Zealand’s top run-getter at the 2020 Under-19 World Cup and made his ODI debut earlier this year, had already made headlines in the first game at Potchefstroom with a career-best 249 off just 258 balls. His double hundred guided New Zealand A to 607-7d in their first innings and set up a 185-run victory.
He followed that effort with another hundred in the second Test, compiling 135 in the second innings to steer his side towards safety in a contest that ended in a draw.
2nd unofficial Test, South Africa A vs New Zealand A
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Rhys Mariu continues stellar first-class form
At Benoni, New Zealand A began strongly with opener Curtis Heaphy’s patient 190 helping them put up total of 482 in the first innings. Mariu could only manage 30. South Africa A responded with 578-8d, built around Sinethemba Qeshile’s 186 and an attacking 120 from Tiaan van Vuuren, who batted at No.8. It gave the home side a 96-run lead.
New Zealand A ended their second innings on 298-4d, with Mariu starring yet again. He scored 135 in 179 deliveries, hitting 19 fours and a six at a strike rate of 75.41.
It was his sixth first-class hundred, to go with seven fifties in just 19 matches. He has scored 1,883 runs in the format at an impressive average of 62.76 since making his debut in 2023. If he continues at the same rate and reaches 2,000 first-class runs, he will be eighth on the all-time list for highest career averages.
Mariu registered scores of 249, 30 and 135 in the two four-day games, finishing with 414 runs at 138, becoming the only batter to cross 300 runs on the tour. Ahead of the four-day games, he had also played two List A matches, scoring 38 and 0. He has made 517 runs in his 50-over career, at an average of 28.72, and just 15 runs in two T20s.
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