ICC WC: England post a challenging 337 as Bairstow hits a ton;

June 30, 2019, 07:57 PM
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UNB News
Publish- June 30, 2019, 07:57 PM

ICC WC: England post a challenging 337 as Bairstow hits a ton;

England's Jonny Bairstow celebrates scoring a century during the Cricket World Cup match between England and India at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England, Sunday, June 30, 2019. Photo: AP

Dhaka, June 30 (UNB)— A brilliant century by Jonny Bairstow guided England to post a challenging total of 337 for 7 against India in their must-win match of the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Jonny Bairstow was the best batsman for England hitting a ton with 111 runs off 109 balls featuring 10 fours and six sixes. English all-rounder Ben Stokes was also explosive in the middle quick-firing 79 runs off 54 with six fours and three sixes. Along with them, Jason Roy also hit a fifty (66).

For India, Mohammad Shami took five-wicket haul, his 2nd in the ongoing World Cup. Earlier, he took another five-wicket haul against Afghanistan with a hat-trick.

England won the toss and opted to bat first in a batting friendly wicket. Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow managed a sparkling start for the home side as they amassed 160 runs in the first wicket stand.

In the very first over of the innings, Jason hit Mohammad Shami for two fours, which was enough to understand that the wicket has nothing to offer for the bowlers.

England lost the first wicket after Virat Kohli and his men waited for 22.1 overs. Roy came down the wicket and tried to smash Kuldeep Yadav for a big boundary. Roy connected the ball very well but it was flat. Ravindra Jadeja, who is out of the playing XI of India, ran to his left from long-on and took a super catch to remove Roy for 66 off 57 with seven fours and two sixes.

In the 2nd wicket stand, England passed the 200-run mark with the help of Bairstow and Joe Root’s 45-run stand in the second wicket.

Bairstow was the second man to get dismissed after hitting a must needed ton for the hosts. It was a short and slower delivery from Shami outside the off stump. Bairstow skied the ball, but Rishabh Pant, who is playing his first match in the World Cup, was at the deep cover area to take a good catch.

However, England never looked to get slow in the middle but they were keen to post a massive total. After the dismissal of Jason and Bairstow, Eoin Morgan fell for one while facing Shami.

But it was Stokes who kept the host afloat in the middle with a great display of explosive batting.

Eventually, England ended up on 337 for seven in 50 overs with the help of Jason, Bairstow and stokes.

For India, Shami took five while Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav bagged one wicket each. Yuzvendra Chahal conceded 88 runs in 10 overs and returned with no wicket.