Ben Stokes starred with bat, ball and in the field as England beat South Africa by 104 runs at the Oval to make a confident start to the Cricket World Cup.
Stokes made a classy 89 as he guided England to 311-8 which, at the time, felt just a few runs shy but later proved to be more than enough to see-off South Africa thanks to more superb work from England's talismanic all-rounder.
Jofra Archer proved he can provide that x-factor with the ball with three wickets coming from his express pace, but even his impact was dwarfed by Stokes who took one of the best catches even seen in the World Cup.
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Naturally, Stokes then finished off South Africa as he took the final two wickets in successive deliveries to bowl South Africa out for 207 to seal a comfortable win for the tournament hosts.
Jason Roy, Joe Root and Eoin Morgan all scored half-centuries for England, while Liam Plunkett also took a couple of wickets as only Quinton de Kock and Hendrik van der Dussen could reach 50.
Have you EVER seen a better catch? 🔥
— ICC (@ICC) May 30, 2019
Ben Stokes with a grab that has to be seen to be believed!#WeAreEngland #CWC19 pic.twitter.com/rpN04OxVTk
England recover from horror start
Imran Tahir produced the first surprise of the tournament when taking the new ball for South Africa, Faf du Plessis's gamble paying immediate dividends when his wrist-spinner got his second ball to turn just enough to graze Jonny Bairstow's outside edge on the way through to wicketkeeper de Kock.
After England settled, Stokes later walked out to bat with the score on 112-3 having seen Jason Roy and Joe Root fall in the space of three balls following a fluent partnership of 106 in which both struck brisk half-centuries.
The Durham all-rounder joined captain Eoin Morgan at the crease and it was the latter who dominated the early stages of their own stand of 106, the England captain often using his feet to charge the seamers while looking to accumulate against the three South African spinners.
🇿🇦 South Africa continue to pick up English wickets and boy does Imran Tahir like it!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) May 30, 2019
🏴 England currently 248-5...#CWC19 pic.twitter.com/TY1RtNI2qo
Once again, Du Plessis called upon his veteran campaigner when Morgan and Stokes had threatened to take the game away from South Africa and Morgan couldn't resist when Tahir offered him some flight, picking out Aiden Markram who caught expertly at long-on .
England wickets began to fall regularly thereafter, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes both struggling to find the boundary, but Stokes continued to manipulate the gaps beautifully and when he picked out short-third man with an attempted reverse-pull off paceman Lungi Ngidi (3-66), England were already on 300.
Jofra Archer added a couple of lusty blows to push England onto 311 but Kagiso Rabada closed out the innings well, finishing with 2-66, as he, Ngidi and Tahir (2-61) left the field knowing they had curtailed England's usual late flourish to give their side a huge chance of pulling off an early upset.
South Africa fall well short
South Africa's chase suffered an early blow after Amla retired hurt in the fourth over as Archer caught the Proteas opener with a bouncer into the grille and, after receiving treatment on the pitch, he was unable to continue.
Amla was replaced by Markram but he did not last long at the crease as Archer made a breakthrough in the eighth over - catching the edge with a pacey delivery into the hands of Root at second slip.
Two quick wickets and England are well on top...
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) May 30, 2019
Watch England v South Africa live on Sky Sports Cricket World Cup (404) or follow it here: https://t.co/Ee6tlCZDI6 pic.twitter.com/bLEivH6CRk
There was further joy for Archer just 10 balls later as he made light work of Captain Du Plessis, as his 93mph delivery saw the Proteas skipper top edge the ball high into the air towards long leg where Moeen was perfectly placed to take the catch.
De Kock was eventually dismissed off the final ball of the 23rd over as Plunkett made a crucial breakthrough. Plunkett's delivery on leg stump was hit towards deep backward square leg where Root took a comfortable catch.
England took control of the match with two quickfire wickets. Moeen got in on the act after causing Duminy to loft straight into the hands of Stokes at long-off, before Stokes and Morgan combined to run out Pretorius three balls later.
The dismissal of Pretorius, which came after he had faced just one ball and with Rassie Van Der Dussen on strike, left South Africa on 144 for five.
Stokes then had the majority of the sell-out crowd on its feet following a sensational catch which removed Andile Phehlukwayo.
Moving backwards towards the boundary at deep midwicket, the all-rounder somehow stretched to pluck the ball out of the air with his right hand and deny a certain six.
The catch, off Rashid, pushed England closer to victory, leaving South Africa 180 for seven, and Stokes later returned to mop up the final two wickets off successive deliveries to seal the match.
