India, June 14 -- There's no perfect time in cricket to play a straight drive. It is as effective, attractive and assertive irrespective of the batter, the bowler, the venue and sometimes (only sometimes), even the match situation. But if you are Aiden Markram, you might argue. The straight drive that he played off Josh Hazlewood in the last ball of the 51st over on Day 3 of the WTC final against Australia, not only took him one shot away from a historic century but it sort of stamped South Africa's grip on their maiden ICC title in nearly three decades.

It was a pitched-up delivery from Hazlewood and Markram, who was brilliant off the backfoot against Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, put a generous stride forward and just stroked it stra...