England are off and running in their home World Cup. Not with a bang, or an outrageous struggle but with a workmanlike showing that was plenty good enough to see off South Africa by 104 runs.
There were magical moments from Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer but put simply: England have plenty left to give. It is normally the batsmen that grab the headlines – this time the bowling and fielding got the job done.
It is normally the batsmen that grab the headlines – this time the bowling and fielding got the job done.
Archer played the star hand – and surely not for the last time this summer. As South Africa set about on their challenging but not insurmountable chase of 312, his opening five-over spell not only conceded just 20 runs and took two key wickets but did for Hashim Amla too.
He was hit on the head by a 90mph bouncer and was forced to retire hurt. The ball that got Faf du Plessis caught at long-leg was 93mph too, and he barely bowled a loose delivery.
It was the spell that set England on their way to victory and, as soon as he returned in the 32nd over, he produced a wicket maiden that dismissed Rassie van der Dussen for 50. Who did that bring back to the crease – Amla of course. It was no surprise that his first ball was short.
Until then, Du Plessis was having a dream day. He won the toss, asked England to bat first (which he knows they do not like doing), and chucked the ball to Imran Tahir for the first over. He struck with the second ball of the tournament, with Jonny Bairstow propping forward and edging behind.
In Pictures | Ben Stokes catch, England vs South Africa | 30/05/2019
Tahir, as ever, was jubilant and South Africa were off to a flyer. Du Plessis continued to marshal his team superbly and took a very fine catch at long-on (to dismiss Moeen Ali) in an excellent all-round fielding display.
South Africa were good with the ball too, especially at the death, but England still wriggled their way to 311, thanks in the main to two stands of 106 from the four men who passed fifty. Three of them failed to make it out of the fifties; Jason Roy and Joe Root helped recover from Bairstow’s wicket then fell in successive overs.
Eoin Morgan was just beginning to sparkle in his stand with Stokes when he too fell to a brilliant catch, Aiden Markram diving low at long-on off Tahir.
Stokes was the exception, as he so often is. He battled through as wickets fell to fine death bowling before falling slogging with the 300 already up and six balls left. He looked more fluent than he has of late, although the best was yet to come from Stokes. When he was gone, Archer hit his first competitive ball for England for four.
(Getty Images)
To better 311, South Africa’s top order had to fire, and Archer put paid to that. Quinton de Kock and Van Der Dussen briefly gave South Africa hope, but England’s middle over machine kicked in to action.
De Kock, who was lucky that the heavy zing bails were not dislodged by an Adil Rashid googly that grazed the stumps, was caught at long-on by Liam Plunkett, who also dismissed Amla when he returned.
(Getty Images)
Moeen had JP Duminy lazily lofting to long-on, then Stokes affected a run out from the deep that did for Dwaine Pretorius looking for a second that should have been regulation. The bullet arm was freakish, but Stokes’s catch to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo was over-worldly.
At deep midwicket, he back-peddled and stuck up his right mitt. It stuck, and England had their first ever legspin wicket at a World Cup, via Adil Rashid.
When Stokes – who else? – picked up the final two wickets in two balls, “It’s Coming Home” was blared over the PA system. Premature? Sure. Naff? Very. But England have plenty of bases covered, and a team to be excited by.
Relive the action at the Oval!
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England win! Ben Stokes made 89, took two wickets, two catches and a brilliant run out, while Jofra Archer was superb for his three wickets. Victory by 104 runs, and they are off and running.
Ben Stokes! What a catch. You won’t see many better than that. Phehlukwayo swept Rashid hard, and it looked to be soaring over Stokes’s head at deep midwicket. Pedalling back, he stuck his right hand up and plucked a brilliant catch. Wow. 181-7, and England are going to win.
Mad stat: England’s first ever legspin wicket in a World Cup.
Wicket! Archer returns with a brilliant over that get Rassie van der Dussen for 50. Caught mid-on, and Amla is back! He has passed all the necessary tests.
Will Macpherson at the Oval:
Suddenly, England are all over them. Soft dismissals caught in the deep for de Kock and Duminy, and now Pretorius has been brilliantly run out coming back for a regulation two! Ben Stokes, who else?
And there’s that wicket! Plunkett tempts de Kock into a big swipe and he’s caught at fine leg by Root. Ends a stand of 85, and he made 68. Big, big wicket. And Archer is coming back to bowl….
Will Macpherson at the Oval:
Suddenly, South Africa have put their foot on the gas. They took 12 from Plunkett’s last over, and now 16 from Moeen’s. Two sixes and three fours in those 28 runs. England badly want a wicket. 125-2.
SA 95/2 (20.0 overs)
de Kock 55, van der Dussen 16
Two more to the tally and South Africa need 215 from 30 overs. That was a fine over from Moeen.
Will Macpherson at the Oval:
Plunkett is on now, and at the other end Moeen Ali continues to just shuffle quietly through his overs. South Africa not going anywhere particularly fast, even if de Kock has his 50.
SA 95/2 (19.0 overs)
de Kock 54, van der Dussen 15
Plunkett is on for Rashid and South Africa eek out six from the over. England starting to get twitchy.
SA 89/2 (18.0 overs)
de Kock 50, van der Dussen 13
De Kock reaches his half-century by pushing Moeen for the single he needs. That’s off 58 balls. A good return.
Will Macpherson at the Oval:
No more wickets for England, but they’re in a fine position at the drinks break. They will want to get Quinny de Kock, who is ominously poised on 49, and do not be surprised to see Liam Plunkett very soon. It’s 86-2.
SA 79/2 (16.0 overs)
de Kock 43, van der Dussen 10
Quick change of blogging hands at Standard Sport as Dussen finds the boundary with a reverse sweep.
DROPPED CATCH
SA 66/2 (14.0 overs)
de Kock 39, van der Dussen 6
Ooh, chance. Big chance. Jos Buttler’s had a couple of missed stumpings in the build up to this tournament, but that’s a real chance dropped as Ali finds an edge – similar to the ball that dismissed Jonny Bairstow actually.
SA 66/2 (13.0 overs)
de Kock 37, van der Dussen 6
Lovely stuff from Rashid, who’s finding plenty of turn here. Beats the bat but always going down leg as it crashes into de Kock’s pads. Four from the over.
SIX
SA 62/2 (12.0 overs)
de Kock 36, van der Dussen 6
We’ve just seen a replay, and that ball hasn’t just tickled leg stump, it’s properly clipped it. We’ve seen this in the IPL this year.
If de Kock goes on to get a century here, that won’t be the last we hear of it.
Anyway, it’s Moeen on, and de Kock gets down and sends him into the stands with the first maximum of the South African innings.
SA 51/2 (11.0 overs)
de Kock 29, van der Dussen 1
Adil Rashid on for the first time. Little nab from de Kock down the leg side and they run a couple.
What’s happened here then? Adil Rashid has got one to skip on below De Kock’s bat and it clips the stumps but the bails don’t come off! They lit up and everything!
Will Macpherson at the Oval:
Wow! Jofra Archer has done the trick in the powerplay. First, he knocked Hashim Amla on the head. He’s having a concussion test now. Then Markram nicked off to slip and Faf pulled straight to long-on. Some impact! 44-2 after 10, with England well on top.
All out attack from England, with Rashid coming on. Wow! Jofra Archer has done the trick in the powerplay. First, he knocked Hashim Amla on the head. He’s having a concussion test now. Then Markram nicked off to slip and Faf pulled straight to long-on. Some impact! 44-2 after 10, with England well on top.
All out attack from England, with Rashid coming on.
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England vs South Africa: Ben Stokes stars as 2019 Cricket World Cup hosts win Oval opener by 104 runs - Evening Standard
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