England’s Ben Stokes in action. Photo: Reuters
LONDON: Ben Stokes top-scored with 89 as England posted a solid but not commanding total of 311 for eight in their opening Cricket World Cup match against South Africa at The Oval on Thursday.
Jason Roy, Joe Root and Eoin Morgan also passed fifty in favourable batting conditions, but England were never able to break free from the shackles imposed by a disciplined South African attack.
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After being put in to bat, the tournament favourites lost Jonny Bairstow to the second ball of the innings, caught by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock off spinner Imran Tahir, but Roy and Root shared a 106-run partnership to steady the hosts.
Roy never threatened to dismantle the bowling as he has done regularly in recent matches, accumulating 54 runs before he skied Andile Phehlukwayo to Faf du Plessis at mid-off.
Three balls later Root departed for 51, playing a loose drive at Kagiso Rabada to give JP Duminy a simple catch at backward point and leave England on 111 for three.
South Africa continued to bowl tightly as Morgan and Stokes set about rebuilding the innings.
Morgan struck the first six in the 26th over and the captain cleared the ropes twice more in a fourth-wicket partnership of 106.
Morgan, on 57, was brilliantly caught off Tahir by Aiden Markram at long-on, the fielder diving forward to catch the ball inches from the turf, and England failed to cut free.
Jos Buttler made a scratchy 18, Moeen Ali three before he too fell to a superb catch on the boundary by Du Plessis and Chris Woakes 13 as the last 10 overs produced 76 runs to leave the match finely poised at the half-way stage.
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