ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Match 1, England vs South Africa at the Oval in London, Latest Updates: 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. ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, Match 1, England vs South Africa at the Oval in London, Preview: A team in his image. Bold, fearless, instinctive. [caption id=“attachment_6725631” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
England captain Eoin Morgan and South Africa captain Faf du Plessis. Reuters[/caption] The captain has done more than most to transform England from no-hopers at the last World Cup to the most exciting team going into the 2019 edition. After enduring humiliating lessons from a group-stage exit four years ago, Morgan set about pushing England to plan for and win this World Cup, conveniently being staged on home grounds across the next six weeks and four days. The resurgence has been incredible. South Africa, meanwhile, will be without one of its best fast bowlers. Dale Steyn’s old right shoulder injury flared in April in the Indian Premier League and he was not ready in time for the start of the World Cup. He was picked in the squad in the expectation he will recover, and South Africa believe he will be fit to play its third game on 5 June against India. The South Africa battery will still be impressive. There are Kagiso Rabada, who was over a back injury he sustained on 1 May, Lungi Ngidi, coming back from a side strain, Andile Phehlukwayo, and the retiring-but-menacing leg-spinner, Imran Tahir. Squads England:
Eoin Morgan
(capt),
Moeen Ali
,
Jofra Archer
,
Jonny Bairstow
(wk),
Jos Buttler
(wk),
Tom Curran
,
Liam Dawson
,
Liam Plunkett
,
Adil Rashid
,
Joe Root
,
Jason Roy
,
Ben Stokes
,
James Vince
,
Chris Woakes
,
Mark Wood
. South Africa:
Faf du Plessis
(capt),
Quinton de Kock
,
Imran Tahir
,
David Miller
,
JP Duminy
,
Lungi Ngidi
,
Kagiso Rabada
,
Aiden Markram
,
Chris Morris
,
Andile Phehlukwayo
,
Tabraiz Shamsi
,
Dale Steyn
,
Dwaine Pretprius
,
Rassie van der Dussen
,
Hashim Amla
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With inputs from The Associated Press
)