England held to 311 by South Africa in World Cup opener

LONDON – England has made 311-8 against South Africa on the back of two century partnerships after losing a wicket to the second ball of the opening match of the Cricket World Cup at the Oval.

No sooner had Prince Harry declared the event officially open on Thursday with, “You won’t want to miss any of it,” than Jonny Bairstow was walking back to join the royal in the pavilion as the first opening batsman out for a golden duck in the opening innings of a World Cup.

It was an opening gambit brilliantly executed by South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, who won the toss and chose to bowl first — as England would have — and gave the ball to Imran Tahir, the first spinner to bowl the first ball of a men’s World Cup. He induced a faint edge behind from Bairstow and, arms out, went flying around the offside in celebration.

But if there was any more wickedness in the green-tinged pitch, as South Africa had hoped, the bowlers couldn’t find it.

Jason Roy and Joe Root scored easily, troubling only umpire Kumar Dharmasena, who was hit on the elbow by a Roy drive that deflected off Root at the non-striker’s end. The second-wicket pair seemed to do everything in sync. They reached their half-centuries in the same over, the 18th, with singles, and they were out to self-inflicted mistakes within four balls of each other.

After completing their third century partnership in five ODIs, Roy miscued a pull shot and top-edged to du Plessis at mid off. He made 54 off 53 balls, including eight fours.

Root was out for 51 off 59 deliveries, and spent the walk back chastising himself for steering Kagiso Rabada straight to JP Duminy at backward point.

Eoin Morgan was off the mark with a cover boundary, and enlivened the near-full crowd with England’s only three sixes, including consecutive sixes off fast bowler Lungi Ngidi, coming down to hit the first over long off, and pulling the second over fine leg.

Morgan made 50 off 50, and Ben Stokes, slow to the party but motivated by his captain, reached his 50 off 45 hitting a full toss with a reverse scoop that flew over wickerkeeper Quinton de Kock to the third man boundary.

Tahir’s return to the attack paid dividends again, though it took a great diving catch by Aiden Markram at long-on to remove Morgan on 57 at 217-4.

He and Stokes’ stand of 106 came off 108 deliveries.

Then Stokes and his teammates suddenly found scoring harder, under dark clouds. They hit only six boundaries in the last 10 overs.

Jos Buttler chopped on to his stumps on 18, and Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes were out for 9 and 13 to catches on the boundary.

Stokes went on to 89 off 79 balls, out in the 49th over trying to up the rate.

Stokes gave Ngidi his third wicket. Tahir and Kagiso Rabada earned two each.

Reaching 311 ended England’s ODI record run of four consecutive 340-plus scores this month.

Since 2000, chasing sides have won 27 out of 41 completed ODIs at the Oval.

___

More AP cricket: www.apnews.com/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports