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Markram: Inability to convert has hurt Proteas

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Aiden Markram (Getty)
Aiden Markram (Getty)

Lord's - South Africa go into Sunday's World Cup clash against Pakistan at Lord's knowing that their inability to post big individual scores has hurt them in this tournament. 

Quinton de Kock's pair of 68s against England and Afghanistan remain the side's best individual contributions. 

There has been no shortage of starts for the South African top order, but as coach Ottis Gibson said after Wednesday's four-wicket loss to New Zealand, 30s, 40s and 50s do not win you World Cups. 

The Proteas have looked on as first India's Rohit Sharma (122* off 144) and then New Zealand's Kane Williamson (106* off 138) played match-winning innings of the highest quality against them. 

Six matches into the competition, no South African has been able to do that. 

Aiden Markram knows that all too well, having posted scores of 45 and 38 in losing efforts against Bangladesh and New Zealand, respectively, without kicking on. 

"It's really important to get yourself in, because we've seen the magnitude of knocks that some of the top players are doing at the World Cup," Markram told media at Lord's on Saturday.

"For us as a batting unit, we are doing the hard work up front. We are getting in and we are not kicking on and it does definitely set you back.

"Every time you lose a wicket, naturally the rate will drop and the new batter needs to get himself in and it takes a bit of time. It's definitely something we are looking to rectify."

Markram says the reasons for the batsmen not converting differ for everyone.

"It's situations in the game," he said.

"As a batter, you and your partner might be deciding to try and put pressure on a certain bowler, and it doesn't come off ... execution lets you down, but the thinking is right.

"A lot of it is just down to execution.

"Not too much of it has come down to bad thinking. I think the thinking has been right and then at times, our execution has just let us down."

Play on Sunday gets underway at 11:30 (SA time). 

@LloydBurnard is in England covering the 2019 Cricket World Cup for Sport24 ... 

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