ICC World Cup 2019: Match 1, England vs South Africa – Beginning with spin, Morgan records, England’s dominance and more stats

England matched all the pre-tournament hype with a thumping 104-run win over South Africa in the opening game of the World Cup 2019. On a pitch that was gripping a bit as the game progressed, the hosts put on 311/8 in their 50 overs with four batsmen scoring fifties. The Saffers were jolted by two wickets and injury to Hashim Amla in the opening powerplay. Just when Quinton de Kock (68) and Rassie van der Dussen (50) held the innings together, the Proteas went into collapse mode and bundled out for 207/10 from 129/2.

Here are Statistical Highlights from England’s grand win in the tournament opener:

The opening game record:

5 – England won their opening matches in all the five editions of the World Cup which they hosted. They defeated India by 202 runs in 1975, Australia by 6 wickets in 1979, New Zealand by 106 runs in 1983 and Sri Lanka by 8 wickets in 1999 during their first game of respective editions.

2 – Only the 2nd time South Africa lost their first game of a World Cup edition. They lost to the Windies by three runs in the opening game of the 2003 CWC which they hosted. Saffers won their first matches at 1992, 1996, 1999, 2007, 2011 and 2015 World Cups.

A first for England:

1 – Four of England’s top five batsmen scored fifties in this game. They recorded the first instance of four half-centurions in a World Cup game for the English team. A total of 12 team innings had four players with fifties in the first 11 editions of the CWC.

Rarest instances in World Cup:

1 – Imran Tahir became the first spinner to bowl the first over of a World Cup. Each of the previous 11 editions of the ODI World Cup witnessed the first over bowled by a pacer.

2 – Jonny Bairstow became only the 2nd player to be dismissed in the opening over of a World Cup. New Zealand’s John Wright was cleaned up by Craig McDermott on the first legitimate ball of the 1992 CWC as the Australian pacer bowled back to back wides first up.

Yet another 300+ for England:

5 – England now has scored 300+ in each of their last five ODI matches. They posted 340+ totals in last four matches in the home ODI series against Pakistan this month. England thus became only the 4th nation with five consecutive ODI innings of 300+ runs. Australia in 2007 had six consecutive 300+ totals while Sri Lanka in 2006 and India in 2017 also recorded five consecutive 300+ totals.

England’s fortress:

5 – England registered their 5th consecutive victory at The Oval against South Africa in ODI cricket. South Africa defeated England during the World Cup 1999 at this venue but lost all the five they played since 2003.

Morgan’s milestones:

200 – Eoin Morgan became the first player to feature in 200 ODI matches in England colours. He played a total of 223 matches in his ODI career which includes 23 games for Ireland between 2006 and 2019.

7034 – Eoin Morgan completed 7000 runs in the ODI format when he went past his individual score of 23. He is now the first player from European countries to amass 7000 ODI runs. Morgan’s ODI tally comprises 6290 runs for England and 744 runs for his former team Ireland.

A first for Roy:

4 – Jason Roy has scored fifty and more in each of his last four ODI innings. This is the first time Roy has four consecutive fifty-plus scores to his name in ODI cricket. He is also the first England player with four or more successive 50+ scores since Joe Root in 2016.