Eoin Morgan century leads England to 72-run victory over South Africa in first ODI at Headingley

England lived up to their billing as Champions Trophy favourites after Morgan and Moeen Ali’s batting pyrotechnics set up a crushing victory against South Africa

Eoin Morgan's century proved crucial (Getty)

England lived up to their billing as Champions Trophy favourites after Eoin Morgan and Moeen Ali’s batting pyrotechnics set up a crushing victory against South Africa at Headingley.

This win, by 72 runs, was the seventh in succession for England and coming as it did against the world’s No1-ranked one-day team means this was by far the most satisfying.

The only blight on a fine night for the hosts was an injury scare for Ben Stokes, who left the field for six overs during South Africa’s chase with pain in his left knee and did not return to bowl when he eventually came back on.

That is a worry for England given there are just eight days until the Champions Trophy starts. Stokes is the heartbeat of this team and the all-rounder’s recent performances in the Indian Premier League, where he was named MVP in his first season, mean he is the hottest property in world cricket right now.

For now, though, England can only wait and hope the pain is nothing serious. Concerns over Stokes, 25, were balanced by the ruthlessness of this performance from his team. Coming so close to the start of the Champions Trophy, England’s timing – and that of Morgan, their captain who struck a brilliant 11^th ODI century – was near perfect.

Moeen’s, too, was pretty decent, the all-rounder who was dropped for the two most recent ODIs against Ireland bludgeoning a 51-ball 77 during a boundary laden stand of 117 with Morgan. In all the pair hit 10 sixes between them to help set South Africa 340 to win.

It was a target that always looked to much for AB De Villiers’ team, even if half-centuries from Hashim Amla and Faf Du Plessis threatened to make the chase interesting. In the end it was terminated in 45^th over, South Africa dismissed for 267.

In a sign that he does indeed have a big role to play in the Champions Trophy, Moeen backed up his brilliant batting display from No7 by taking two wickets with his off-spin – including the crucial scalp of De Villiers in the 38^th over of the chase.

Just two more matches against South Africa, at Southampton and Lord’s over the Bank Holiday weekend, await for England before the hosts begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh at The Oval next Thursday.

They look like they will enter the tournament with momentum and belief. Their strength in depth was illustrated by the fact Jonny Bairstow was running drinks on his home ground here. Bairstow had scored a stunning 72 from 44 balls in the previous ODI against Ireland at Lord’s. But with Stokes, Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler all back from IPL duty having missed that two-match series, there was simply no room in the batting line-up for the Yorkshireman.


 Morgan hit a brilliant century 
 (Getty)

England, who along with South Africa wore black armbands and observed a minute’s silence for the victims of the Manchester terror attack before play started, were asked to bat first after losing the toss.

And there was an early setback when Jason Roy edged Wayne Parnell behind in the second over. A second-wicket stand of 98 between Alex Hales and Joe Root that took their team’s total past 100 in the 17^th over was broken when the opener edged Andile Phehlukwayo’s first ball behind. It was a gift from Hales, who had scored 61 from 60 balls.

Root was similarly generous to the 21-year-old fast bowler five overs later when, on 37, he hooked a slow bouncer to midwicket.

At this point England were 122 for three. A 33^rd ODI half-century from Morgan settled things down before the loss of Stokes and Buttler in the space of 10 balls left his side on 198 for five in the 35^th over. That’s when Moeen came to the crease and alongside his captain he ensured there was a power-packed conclusion to the innings. England were 237 for five in the 40^th over and they went on to score 101 in the final 10.


 Woakes grabbed four wickets 
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Moeen’s three sixes off the leg-spin of Imran Tahir in the 46^th over took him to his fifth ODI half-century, the landmark coming in just 35 balls. Morgan was proving equally disdainful of the bowling and the pair brought up their century stand in 73 balls in the same over.

Morgan brought up his hundred in the next, the 47^th, swivelling to pull Kagiso Rabada for six. Even though he fell for 107 soon after, holing out to Chris Morris, it was left to Moeen to finish the innings off with a flourish, dispatching Morris’ final ball for six.

South Africa recovered from the early loss of Quinton De Kock, caught behind off Woakes, through a 112-run stand between Amla and Du Plessis. However, that was broken when Mark Wood trapped Amla lbw on 73 following a smart review.

South Africa were 149 for three in the 26^th over when Liam Plunkett dismissed Du Plessis. That became 208 for five in the 35^th over after JP Duminy, hitting Adil Rashid to midwicket, and David Miller, Woakes the wicket-taker, both fell. Moeen’s wickets of Morris and De Villiers then pretty much settled the contest.