England score 311/8 against South Africa in 1st match of ICC World Cup

Speed Post News Network

Patna : England scored 311/8 in 50 overs against South Africa (SA) in the first match of ICC World Cup 2019 at Kennington Oval, London, UK, with Opener Jason Roy, Joe Root, Captain Eoin Morgan Morgan, and all-rounder Ben Stokes scoring half-centuries. South Africa won the toss and opted to bowl.

England lost their first wicket that of star batsman Jonny Bairstow out without scoring to spinner Imran Tahir when the score was just 1 run. Opener Jason Roy and Joe Root then added 106 runs for the second wicket. Jason Roy fell to Andile Phehlukwayo for 54 in 53 balls hitting 8 fours. Joe Root too followed him soon. He fell to fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for 51 in 59 balls with 5 fours making it 111/3.

Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes then steadied the innings adding 106 runs for the 4th wicket. Morgan fell to Tahir for 57 in 60 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes. It was 217/4. But after his departure, the England batsmen failed to get going with wickets falling at regular interval. They were either not finding gaps or not timing the balls well. Scoring boundaries suddenly became difficult barring few by Ben Stokes as South Africa fast bowlers had started bowling slower balls.

Jos Buttler fell to Lungi Ngidi for 18. Moeen Ali also fell to  Ngidi for 3. Chris Woakes fell to Rabada for 13 making it 285/7. Stokes fell to Ngidi for 89 in 79 balls with 9 fours making it 300/8. Liam Plunkett and Jofra Archer remained unbeaten on 9 and 7 runs respectively.

For South Africa, Lungi Ngidi took 3/66 in 10 overs while Kagiso Rabada took 2/68 in 10 overs. Imran Tahir took 2/61 in 10 overs while Andile Phehlukwayo took 1/44 in 8 overs.