Cricket: CIYMS sign top South African as overseas player for 2017

Aidan Markram, a franchise player with the Titans and a former South Africa under-19 captain, will be joining the Belmont club next April.

A top-order batsman who bowls spin, Markram has already captained the Northerns state side in domestic first-class cricket and led a South Africa invitational team against the touring England side last year.

The 22-year-old from Pretoria captained his country to glory in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup when he was named man of the tournament. He struck two centuries in that competition and hit an unbeaten 66 in the final as South Africa beat Pakistan.

Markram already has impeccable credentials as an overseas player. He plundered 1,154 runs and took 23 wickets in the Bolton league last year.

He averages an impressive 37.53 with the bat in first-class cricket with a top score of 182.

Markram succeeds Justin Kemp as CI’s overseas player. CI were unable to bring the former South Africa all-rounder back to Northern Ireland next summer because of visa issues which followed his retirement from first-class cricket.

A CI spokesman said: “We would like to thank Justin for his contribution to the club this summer, he was a superb professional, on and off the field. We wish him all the best in the future.”