IT’S BLAST-0FF FOR MORGAN!
Captain hits brilliant ton as South Africa are given a thumping
England could not have asked for a better start to a spell of one- day cricket they hope will end with Champions Trophy glory, as they stormed to an emphatic win against South africa last night with captain Eoin Morgan to the fore.
Morgan’s 11th one- day century and a late blast from Moeen ali propelled England to 339 for six after they had been asked to bat in this first of three matches against the no 1 ranked side.
and it was to prove too stiff a task for South africa, who lost wickets far too regularly in their pursuit of a realistic target on a flat Headingley pitch and struggled against the pace of Chris Woakes and the spin of Moeen and adil Rashid.
The only worry for England was an injury scare to the hugely important Ben Stokes, who was able to bowl just two overs before leaving the field with a sore left knee. He was to return but England will hold their breath over their talisman.
England prefer to chase, with almost anything deemed gettable, but showed they can also dictate batting first, smashing 12 sixes between them compared to just two maximums from South africa.
Five of England’s sixes came from Morgan, who has hit his best form just at the right time as England next week go in pursuit of their long overdue first global title over the longer limited-overs distance.
There was a time last winter when Morgan, who refused to lead his side in Bangladesh because of security concerns, was under pressure. But he has responded in fine style to reassert his authority.
This was his third one-day century in his last eight innings, after he had gone 24 knocks without one, and Morgan will go into the Champions Trophy at the very top of his form and unquestionably deserving of a middle-order place. He was needed here, too, because after alex Hales had laid a platform, England were in danger of falling well short of their recent batting standards when Stokes and Jos Buttler marked their returns with soft dismissals.
England are keen to big up the benefits of players going to the Indian Premier league but it makes demands on them, too, and there was perhaps a touch of weariness about the way Stokes and Buttler gave their wickets away.
When Buttler turned Chris Morris to leg gully, England were wobbling on 198 for five, but they recovered to the highest OdI score here with a partnership of 117 off 13.3 overs between Morgan and Moeen.
Moeen was left out of England’s two victories over Ireland earlier this month and there were suggestions he might lose his place to Jonny Bairstow, but here he showed what an important all-rounder he is.
While Morgan was sublime in hitting 107, going to three figures by pulling Kagiso Rabada into the stands, Moeen was the dominant partner as 102 runs came off the last 10 overs.
Moeen was particularly punishing on the world’s no 1 ranked one-day bowler, taking Imran Tahir for three sixes in an over that cost 22 and following the example of his colleagues in being able to pick the leg-spinner’s googly.
They will also be pleased with the way they played the exciting Rabada, who struggled coming down the hill at the Kirkstall lane End.
The pick of the South africa attack instead was the unheralded andile Phehlukwayo, who is said to have six different bouncers among his variations and ended up here with the wickets of Hales and Joe Root.
South africa, unbeaten in their last seven one-day series, showed a propensity for giving it away themselves as JP duminy and david Miller followed Stokes in finding the only man on the midwicket boundary.
The dangerous Quinton de Kock had earlier hit Woakes straight up in the air to be taken by an outstanding running catch from Buttler, before Hashim amla fell on review to Mark Wood after a mistake by umpire Rod Tucker.
While there was aB de Villiers there was hope for South africa, but after showing his outstanding quality with two superlative boundaries off a Woakes over, he too gave it away as Moeen showed his ability with the ball.
That left South africa with just too much to do, the ever reliable Woakes finishing with four for 38 as they fell 72 runs short, and England will head to Southampton for the second match on Saturday with their confidence growing at the best possible time.