Morgan, Ali lift England to 339-6

Published May 24, 2017
LEEDS: England skipper Eoin Morgan goes airborne as he flicks during his century knock against South Africa in the first ODI at Headingley on Wednesday.—Reuters
LEEDS: England skipper Eoin Morgan goes airborne as he flicks during his century knock against South Africa in the first ODI at Headingley on Wednesday.—Reuters

LEEDS: Captain Eoin Morgan smashed a century and Moeen Ali hit a brisk unbeaten 77 as England scored a huge 339-6 against South Africa in their first One-day International here at Headingley on Wednesday.

Left-handed Morgan hit seven fours and five sixes in his 11th ODI century, his first hundred against South Africa, after A.B. de Villiers won the toss and opted to field.

Ali, another left-hander, needed only 51 balls to reach his total, hitting five fours and as many sixes as he lifted England’s total with a 117-run seventh-wicket stand with Morgan.

The performance was an ideal warm-up for England’s top-order batsmen ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy starting on June 1.

Alex Hales made 61 and Joe Root (37) looked good until he top-edged a bouncer from seamer Andile Phehlukwayo (2-59).

Morgan completed his century off 91 balls when he hooked fast bowler Kagiso Rabada for a six over long leg, before being caught in the covers in the 48th over.

Ali provided the innings with an ideal finish by lofting Chris Morris (2-61) over backward square leg for six as England scored 102 runs in the last 10 overs.

Scoreboard

ENGLAND:

J.J. Roy c de Kock b Parnell 1 A.D. Hales c de Kock b Phehlukwayo 61 J.E. Root c Amla b Phehlukwayo 37 E.J.G. Morgan c Duminy b Morris 107 B.A. Stokes c Miller b Rabada 25 J.C. Buttler c Miller b Morris 7 M.M. Ali not out 77 C.R. Woakes not out 6

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, W-7, NB-4) 18

TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 339

FALL OF WKTS: 1-3, 2-101, 3-122, 4-190, 5-198, 6-315.

DID NOT BAT: A.U. Rashid, L.E. Plunkett, M.A. Wood.

BOWLING: Rabada 9-0-63-1 (3nb, 3w); Parnell 7-0-47-1 (1w); Morris 10-1-61-1 (2w); Imran Tahir 9-0-68-0; Phehlukwayo 9-0-59-2 (1nb); Duminy 6-0-34-0 (1w).

SOUTH AFRICA: Q. de Kock, H.M. Amla, F. du Plessis, A.B. de Villiers, J.P. Duminy, D.A. Miller, W.D. Parnell, C.H. Morris, A.L. Phehlukwayo, K. Rabada, Imran Tahir.

UMPIRES: R.T. Robinson (England) and R.J. Tucker (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: C.B. Gaffaney (New Zealand).

MATCH REFEREE: A.J. Pycroft (Zimbabwe).

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...