Victory for England

A spirited England ended India’s unbeaten run at the Cricket World Cup with a 31-run victory in a high-scoring group match to boost their semi-final prospects yesterday.

Jonny Bairstow smashed a belligerent 111, Jason Roy returned from a hamstring injury to make 66 and Ben Stokes (79) provided the late burst in England’s commanding 337/7 after electing to bat on an Edgbaston featherbed. Rohit Sharma smashed his third hundred of the tournament and Virat Kohli his fifth successive half-century, but India did not get another significant partnership and finished on 306/5.

England leapfrog Pakistan to fourth place with 10 points from eight games, while India remain second on 11 from seven matches.

The hosts missed opener Roy particularly in their back-to-back defeats by Sri Lanka and Australia, which had jeopardised their semi-final prospects.

The 28-year-old made an instant impact on his return, forging the tournament’s highest opening stand with Bairstow and both survived some torrid moments before tearing into the Indian attack during their 160-run stand.

Bairstow brought up his eighth ODI century off 90 balls, celebrating by dropping his helmet, stretching out his arms and soaking in the applause.

Mohammed Shami (5/69) returned to end Bairstow’s 109-ball blitz which included six sixes and 10 boundaries.

India, clad in their away orangeand-blue jerseys, wobbled early in their chase. Kohli brought up his half-century but once again fell short of a hundred, slicing Liam Plunkett (3/55) to backward point.

Rohit could not be denied his 25th ODI century, but he fell to Chris Woakes after making 102 which included 15 boundaries.