World Cup 2019: England ride Jason Roy’s ton to script big win over Bangladesh

Cardiff: England rode Jason Roy's belligerent 153 to post the highest total of the ongoing World Cup and made short work of Bangladesh with a massive 106-run victory in their clash here on Saturday.

Asked to bat first, Roy battered the Bangladesh bowlers all around park to complete a 92-ball century and lay the foundation for a mammoth total with his 121-ball hurricane. Roy's innings was studded with 14 fours and five sixes as he fell just short of Andrew Strauss's 158 against India in 2011, the highest individual score by a English batsman at the World Cup.

Besides Roy, in-form Jos Buttler scored 64 off 44 deliveries with the help of two fours and four sixes while Jonny Bairstow also struck 51 off 50 balls hitting six boundaries as England posted 386/6.

For Bangladesh, star all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan scripted a fluent 121 of 119 balls (12x4; 1x6) but in the end could not take his team over the line as they were all out for 280 in 48.5 overs.

Chasing a daunting 387 for victory, Bangladesh lost openers Tamim Iqbal (19) and Soumya Sarkar (2) early with Mark Wood (2/52) and Jofra Archer (3/29) accounting for their wickets, respectively.

Shakib and Mushfiqur Rahim (44; 50 balls, 4x2) then stitched together a 106-run stand for the third wicket to keep their hopes alive. But once Liam Plunkett (1/36) had Rahim caught by Roy at point, it was always an uphill task for the men in green even as Shakib brought up his hundred off 95 balls and shared a 49-run partnership with Mahmadullah (28).

Ben Stokes (3/23) finally clean-bowled Shakib to end a magnificient effort and from there on it was all downhill as England won easily.

Earlier, Roy ensured that he made hay while the sun shone as England batsmen sent the Bangladesh bowlers to the cleaners. Despite the pundits saying that there wouldn't be much movement, Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza decided to bowl first and his England counterpart Eoin Morgan was quick to point that it wasn't a bad toss to lose.

The reason was there for all to see from the word go. While Shakib gave away just one run from the opening over and continued to bowl a tight line, the duo of Roy and Bairstow looked to take the attack to the other bowlers as they mixed caution with aggression to reach 67/0 at the end of the first 10 overs.

But the run rate went a notch higher in the next five overs as England reached the 100-run mark in the 15th over. Roy and Bairstow now have eight 100-run partnerships, second only to the pair of Joe Root and Morgan.

While Shakib continued to impress with his disciplined line and length, the same cannot be said of the other bowlers. However, skipper Mortaza finally struck against the run of play in the 20th over as he sent back Bairstow who was caught brilliantly by Mehidy Hasan.

Brief scores: England 386/6 in 50 overs (Jason Roy 153, Jos Buttler 64, Jonny Bairstow 51; Mehidy Hasan 2/67) vs Bangladesh 280 all out in 48.5 overs (Shakib Al Hasan 121; Jofra Archer 3/29, Ben Stokes 3/23). IANS

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