Highlights, England vs South Africa, ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 Match, Full cricket score: England win opener by 104 runs

Did You Know?

Biggest defeats in World Cup for SA by runs:

130 v Ind, Melbourne, 2015

104 v Eng, The Oval, 2019*

83 v Aus, Basseterre, 2007

Ben Stokes, to no one’s surprise, is the Man of the Match for his all-round performance

Stokes: I had a little bit of a panic to be honest. Was a little further than I should’ve been. Luckily it stuck. I didn’t really know how to react. The message was to get to 310-330. So we tried to pace it. Towards the end, boundaries were hard to come by, but psychologically, getting past 300 was big. Fantastic turnaround today.

Did You Know?

England players scoring 50-plus runs, taking a catch and a wicket in a World Cup match:

Graeme Hick v New Zealand, Ahmedabad, 1996
Andrew Flintoff v India, Durban, 2003
Ben Stokes v South Africa, The Oval, 2019*

After 39.5 overs,South Africa 207/10 ( Lungi Ngidi 6 , )

Stokes concedes eight runs off the first three deliveries of his third over, including a boundary to Rabada off the first delivery, but the New Zealand-born all-rounder wraps it up by dismissing Rabada and Tahir off successive deliveries to finish with figures of 2/12. South Africa’s innings doesn’t last 40 overs in the end, as they crumble to a 104-run loss in the end. Superb start for the tournament hosts, who have been heavily favoured to end their World Cup hoodoo this time around.

OUT! What a day for Stokes! He top-scores for England with 89, takes a mind-blowing catch in the deep, and now collects wickets of back-to-back deliveries as South Africa are bowled out for 207.

England win the opening game of the 2019 ICC World Cup by 104 runs! 

Tahir c Root b Stokes 0(1)

OUT! Rabada pulls… straight to Plunkett at deep midwicket. Stokes addes to his wickets column with this dismissal. England just one wicket away from a massive victory. SA 207/9

Rabada c Plunkett b Stokes 11(19)

After 39 overs,South Africa 199/8 ( Kagiso Rabada 7 , Lungi Ngidi 6)

Plunkett removes Amla at the start of his seventh over, making the remainder of the innings a mere formality. Ngidi though, hits the ball down the ground for a six in exquisite fashion to get off the mark, signalling to the England attack that he won’t go out without a fight.

OUT! Hashim Amla gets a nick while attempting to hook a short ball from Plunkett, and South Africa are now hurtling towards a massive defeat. SA 193/8

Amla c Buttler b Plunkett 13(23)

After 38 overs,South Africa 193/7 ( Hashim Amla 13 , Kagiso Rabada 7)

Stokes continues from the other end. Rabada pulls the ball over Morgan at mid on to collect his first four. Seven off the over.

After 37 overs,South Africa 186/7 ( Hashim Amla 11 , Kagiso Rabada 2)

Plunkett is brought back into the attack for his seventh over. Three singles collected in the over, including two to Amla, who finally moves to doubles figures.

After 35 overs,South Africa 182/7 ( Hashim Amla 8 , Kagiso Rabada 1)

Ben Stokes is given the ball not long after that unbelievable catch of his, conceding just one run  off the over. Rabada walks out to bat next, and gets off the mark with a single.

WHAT. A. CATCH!

WOW!!!! @benstokes38 has just taken the most ridiculously audacious catch in the @ODIWCup_2019 it’s the best catch I’ve ever seen in the flesh, find a screen quickly and see what I mean 😲😲😲

— Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) May 30, 2019

After 35 overs,South Africa 182/7 ( Hashim Amla 8 , Kagiso Rabada 1)

Stokes collects a screamer at deep midwicket, one that will remain a serious contender for ‘Catch of the Tournament’, to result in Phehlukwayo’s dismissal for 24. Two runs and a wicket off the over.

OUT! Terrific catch by Ben Stokes at deep midwicket, one that will likely remain one of the contenders for the ‘Catch of the Tournament’ till the very end of this World Cup.He runs to his left with the ball travelling well over his head, leaps and somehow manages to get the ball to stick to his outstretched right hand. Phehlukwayo has to depart after a near run-a-ball 24 as South Africa further slide towards a massive defeat. SA 180/7

Phehlukwayo c Stokes b Rashid 24(25)

After 34 overs,South Africa 180/6 ( Hashim Amla 7 , Andile Phehlukwayo 24)

Seven runs leaked by Archer in his seventh over, including a boundary to Phehlukwayo off the fourth delivery that is followed by a bouncer that is signalled a wide by the square-leg umpire. Time for the players to have a drink at the end of the over.

After 33 overs,South Africa 173/6 ( Hashim Amla 6 , Andile Phehlukwayo 19)

Six collected off Rashid’s seventh over, including a boundary to Phehlukwayo off the first delivery of the over followed by two singles off the remaining deliveries of the over.

After 32 overs,South Africa 167/6 ( Hashim Amla 5 , Andile Phehlukwayo 14)

Jofra Archer returns to the attack, and starts off his new spell with a wicket-maiden, removing the set batsman van der Dussen. Hashim Amla returns to the crease, having recovered from the blow that he had suffered earlier, and he will hope to guide Proteas as close to the target as possible, if not over the finish line.

OUT! Archer strikes, as he removes the set batsman van der Dussen, who offers the simplest of catches to Moeen at mid on after a mistimed pull. That should extinguish the Proteas’ hopes of chasing down the target. SA 167/6

Van der Dussen c Moeen b Archer 50(61)

After 31 overs,South Africa 167/5 ( Rassie van der Dussen 50 , Andile Phehlukwayo 14)

Just one single collected off the 31st over, one that helps van der Dussen brings up his fifth ODI half century. England also waste a review after an unsuccessful lbw appeal against Phehlukwayo.

After 30 overs,South Africa 166/5 ( Rassie van der Dussen 49 , Andile Phehlukwayo 14)

Moeen bowls out his quota, ending with a relatively expensive over, conceding 10, including a boundary each to Phehlukwayo and van der Dussen. The offie finishes with 1/63 from 10 overs.

They are missing him already!

Amla’s injury big blow to SA. Not been in top form recently but his experience would have been in holdin top order together. Loose have cost too many wickets to help England take strong grip on match

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 30, 2019

After 29 overs,South Africa 156/5 ( Rassie van der Dussen 44 , Andile Phehlukwayo 9)

Rashid brought back into the attack in the 29th over. RVVD collects an easy single at the start of the over, which then is followed by two dots. Phehlukwayo then charges down the crease and drives the ball past mid off to collect his first boundary. He keeps the strike with a single off the last ball.

After 28 overs,South Africa 150/5 ( Rassie van der Dussen 43 , Andile Phehlukwayo 4)

Phehlukwayo collects a brace off the first ball of Moeen’s penultimate over, which then is followed by three dots. Single collected off the last two deliveries of the over, with the 150 coming up for the Proteas.

After 27 overs,South Africa 146/5 ( Rassie van der Dussen 42 , Andile Phehlukwayo 1)

Another fall of wicket for the Proteas, as Pretorious is run out while coming back for a risky second run. South Africa have now lost half their side, having collected less than half of the number of runs set to win at the start of the innings. Phehlukwayo walks out to bat next.