Fans at The Oval witnessed quite a start to the World Cup as Ben Stokes starred with bat and ball and pulled off an astounding catch to help England begin its journey with a 104-run win over South Africa.
Having arrived to bat in the 20th over, Stokes put on a 106-run partnership with Eoin Morgan, the captain, before shepherding the lower order to help South Africa put up a strong total of 311 for 8.
He struck nine fours in his 79-ball 89, eventually perishing in the penultimate over of the innings attempting an unorthodox stroke.
Jofra Archer & Co. chipped away at South Africa's batting and Stokes joined the party by taking an unbelievable one-handed catch at the midwicket boundary to get rid of lower-order batsman Andile Phehlukwayo.
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The ball was travelling high above him when he decided to make an extraordinary jump, and pouched the ball on his reverse-cupped left hand. He went on to claim the wickets of two lower-order batsmen to complete the day.
Talking about the catch at the end of the contest, he quipped, "I was a little further in that I should have been, but I've the nickname, "The Claw", and luckily it stuck!"
England plays its next game on Monday, June 3.
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