Both Markram and Bosch represented the SA u19 team at the ICC u19 World Cup tournament in Dubai in February this year where Bosch was named man of the match in the final and Markram, who was captain of the team, was named player of the tournament. Later in the year both players were selected for the TuksCricket team who beat Maties in the Red Bull Campus Cricket SA Finals and then qualified to represent South Africa at the Red Bull Campus Cricket World Finals in London in July. This event was a universities world cup and the best university cricket teams from South Africa, the West Indies, Australia, England, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka competed to become the best in the world. South Africa beat the West Indies in the final at the Kia Oval by 40 runs to become the best university cricket team in the world.

Markram finished with the second most runs in the tournament (174 off 141 balls), behind SA team mate, Theunis de Bruyn (209 off 107 balls), with the highest score of 76 against the West Indies in the group stages. Bosch finished as the leading wicket taker in the tournament, taking a total of 12 wickets in five matches; his best spell being against the UK in the group stages where he finished with figures of 4-0-27-4.

We asked Aiden and Corbin a few questions about this special year and here is what they had to say:

 1. How did it feel when you won your second world cup for South Africa in one year?

Aiden Markram: ‘It is a massive honour and privilege to play in two world cups in one year and we were very fortunate to have won both. It will definitely be something to remember for the rest of my life.’

Corbin Bosch: ‘It was a very special feeling. Winning one on its own was amazing but then winning the second one was just unbelievable. Being part of such a special group of players made it just as memorable as the u19 World Cup. I couldn't have asked for a better year than this one so far. Each world cup was a unique one in its own way, yet both were exciting and magical experiences.’

 2. Do you believe that there was something specific in your preparation for the tournaments that helped you win?

Aiden Markram: ‘The preparations for both the tournaments were at a very high standard.’

Corbin Bosch: ‘I do believe there was something specific, and to me it was to “cover all bases”. We prepared for all the different possibilities we could face while we were in England, and that, in my opinion, is what gave us the edge. Also the specific training that each individual did and received from the coaches helped prepare each player for the tournament.’

 3. Being both a player and a student can be taxing. How do you balance the time between studies and playing cricket?

Aiden Markram: ‘My cricket will always be my priority, but having said that I know I have to keep my studies up to standard, so some evenings might require an extra hour or so of academic work.’

Corbin Bosch: ‘It is very difficult to balance cricket and studies as cricket is a very time-consuming sport, but the key is time management and how much you get done in the limited time you have.’ 

 4. Any advice for players still at school about how to make their cricketing dreams reality?

Aiden Markram: ‘School cricket is not the be all and end all; so if there are a few teams that you don't make while you're still at school, there's no reason to give up and stop playing.’

Corbin Bosch: ‘To all school players, hard work does pay off. But when you do train you must train for quality and not quantity. Dedication and commitment are highly important but always enjoy the game as you are always playing it with your friends. So, having fun is crucial.’

 5. What does it mean to you personally to be part of TuksCricket?

Aiden Markram: ‘I believe that TuksCricket is the best environment for all players to be a part of, especially young players looking to grow their game. It's an honour to be a part of the Tuks team who has made history in the past few years.’

Corbin Bosch: ‘Being a part of TuksCricket is a great privilege. The enthusiasm and professionalism among the coaches and players are incredible. TuksCricket is a special environment and a very happy environment, which aids in helping each cricketer aspire to fulfil their dreams of reaching a higher level in their sport.’