2019 Cricket World Cup: Roy, Buttler power England to improbable total

For Bangladesh, Mohammad Saifuddin (2/78) and Mehidy Hasan (2/67) picked two wickets each.

Opener Jason Roy smashed his way to a sensational 153 before Jos Buttler provided the late charge with a strokeful fifty as England posted a massive 386 for six against Bangladesh in their World Cup fixture in Cardiff on Saturday.

Roy, who blasted five sixes and had 14 hits to the fence in his 121-ball innings, laid the foundation with two crucial partnerships — 128 with opener Jonny Bairstow (51) and 77 with first-down Joe Root (21).

Buttler then scored a 44-ball 64 laced with four sixes and two fours and added 95 with skipper Eoin Morgan (35) as England posted the first 350 plus total of the tournament.

 

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For Bangladesh, Mohammad Saifuddin (2/78) and Mehidy Hasan (2/67) picked two wickets each.

Put into bat, England were off to a flying start as Roy and Bairstow scored 67 in the first powerplay and then brought up the hundred in 15 overs.

A stunning catch by Mehidy Hasan at short cover finally ended Bairstow’s innings as Bangladesh produced a much-needed breakthrough in the 20th over bowled by skipper Mortaza.

Roy, however, continued in the same vein and completed his century with a boundary off Mustafizur in the 27th over but while completing the run he ended up knocking on-field umpire Joel Wilson down to the ground.

Roy and Root continued to dominate the proceedings as the hosts crossed 200 runs in 30.4 overs.

England lost their second wicket when Root perished in the 32nd over after inside edging a slower ball to the stumps.

In the 35th over, Roy plundered three successive sixes off Mehidy Hasan to complete his 150 in 120 balls but he was holed out by Mortaza at extra cover in the next ball.

Buttler and Morgan then carried the onus with the former blasting two sixes and a four off Mosaddek Hossain to take England across the 250-mark in the 38th over.

However, the duo perished in the 46th and 47th over respectively, while Ben Stokes (6) too was out cheaply.

Liam Plunkett (27) and Chris Woakes (18) then provided some lusty blows to take England close to the 400-mark.

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