Only a strange De Kock and bail story marred a perfect opening day

THIS time, the only Cock and Bull yarn on the first day of a cricket World Cup in England was a curious De Kock and bail episode.

Prince Harry’s opening speech at The Oval was clear as a bell, a merciful contrast with Tony Blair’s address crackling through the impenetrable pirate radio airwaves at Lord’s 20 years ago.

Around the ground, workmen even touched up the grouting of perimeter walls and washed the drain grilles to make sure they were fit for royalty.

And when the cricket itself started, much like the Duke of Sussex, tournament favourites England didn’t fluff their lines. Not from the second onwards, at any rate.

Only in 1992, when Pakistan’s cornered tigers beat England in the final, has a nation lost its first game at the World Cup and gone on to lift the trophy.

Eoin Morgan’s side rarely looked like a team who fancied playing catch-up.

When Jonny Bairstow feathered a catch behind, from the first ball he faced, previous England one-day regimes might have lost the plot.

But skipper Morgan hit South Africa like a London bus. After waiting 25 overs for a six, he cleared the ropes in successive deliveries to lift the tempo.

Ben Stokes batted majestically and responsibly for his 89 off 79 balls. And after watching replays of his somersaulting, onehanded catch on the deep ball midwicket boundary to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo, you’ll believe a man can fly.

Not since Paul Collingwood’s trampoline leap at cover point sent Aussie Matthew Hayden packing at Bristol in 2005, have we seen such gymnastic artwork in the outfield. It was probably even better than Stokes’ outrageous interception of a speeding missile in the gully to confound Adam Voges, when the old penal colony was bowled out for 60 on the first morning at Trent Bridge in 2015.

And when it was 93mph Jofra Archer’s turn to test the speed gun, he was quicker on the draw than Clint Eastwood in a spaghetti western.

The only blot on England’s 104-run win with 61 balls to spare was South African opener Quinton de Kock’s ridiculous let-off at 51-2 in their futile pursuit of 312 to win.

De Kock was bamboozled by Adil Rashid’s googly, and the ball deflected noticeably off the base of off stump, only for the Zing bails – which light up when dislodged – to stay in the groove.

It didn’t affect the result, but if anyone in the ICC’s ivory towers is listening, pay attention at the back of the class.

Bails with built-in lightbulbs aren’t worth the gimmick if they punish deserving bowlers.

Don’t leave the World Cup at the mercy of any more De Kock and bail yarns.

He was quicker on the draw than Clint Eastwood in a spaghetti western