The Latest: Bairstow out as England reaches 164-2 in 30th

By Associated Press 19 June 2019, 12:00AM

LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Day 20 of the Cricket World Cup (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

Opening batsman Jonny Bairstow was out for 90 in the 30th over as England reached 164-2 against Afghanistan.

Bairstow stroked three sixes and eight boundaries in a 99-ball knock before he was caught-and-bowled by Afghanistan captain Gulbadin Naib, ending his 120-run, second-wicket stand with Joe Root.

Root, who scored an unbeaten century last Friday in the win over West Indies, was unbeaten on 45 from 49 balls after the 30th over.

England skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss and opted to bat at Old Trafford, giving recalled opener James Vince a chance to hit the ground running against the lowest-ranked team in the tournament.

Vince, replacing the injured Jason Roy for two games this week, was the only other wicket to fall in the first 30 overs.

He scored 26 from 31 balls in a 44-run opening stand with Bairstow, having a narrow escape when he lofted into the outfield before top-edging an attempted pull shot to Dawlat Zadran and top-edging to Mujeeb Rahman at short-fine leg.

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12:15 p.m.

England opener Jason Roy is hoping to return from a left hamstring injury in time to play against Australia at Lord's next Tuesday.

Roy said he was "targeting Australia" but that he'll "see how this week goes."

"A lot of gray area with hamstrings, unfortunately," added Roy, speaking before England's match against Afghanistan.

England has initially ruled out Roy for two games — Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka on Friday.

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10:15 a.m.

England skipper Eoin Morgan has overcome injury, won the toss, and decided to bat first in the Cricket World Cup game against Afghanistan at Old Trafford.

Morgan and Jason Roy were injured in England's win over West Indies in Southampton last week. Morgan recovered from muscle spasms in his back to take his place against Afghanistan, but Roy was ruled out with a hamstring injury and that created two changes in England's XI.

James Vince will open the innings in place of Roy, and offspinner Moeen Ali comes in at the expense of seamer Liam Plunkett on a pitch expected to take turn in Manchester.

Afghanistan made three changes to the team that lost to South Africa, with batsman Hazratullah Zazai and seamers Hamid Hassan and Aftab Alam dropped. Najibullah Zadran, Dawlat Zadran and Mujeeb Rahman were called in to bolster the spin attack.

England has had wins over South Africa, Bangladesh, and West Indies and a loss to Pakistan.

Afghanistan is coming off the heavy loss to South Africa in a rain-interrupted game after earlier losses to Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.

Lineups:

England: Jonny Bairstow, James Vince, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (captain), Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood.

Afghanistan: Noor Ali Zadran, Gulbadin Naib (captain), Rahmat Shah, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Asghar Afghan, Najibullah Zadran, Mohammad Nabi, Ikram Ali Khil, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Rahman, Dawlat Zadran.

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9:15 a.m.

England will be without the injured opener Jason Roy for its Cricket World Cup group game against Afghanistan at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Roy injured his left hamstring in England's win over West Indies at Southampton last Friday and has been ruled out of games this week against the Afghans and Sri Lanka. James Vince is set to come into the starting XI to replace Roy at the top of the order.

Top-ranked England is a hot favorite to beat the winless Afghan lineup to improve to four wins and a loss from five games.

Rain interrupted India's win over Pakistan here on Sunday but is expected to hold off on Day 20 of the tournament.

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More AP cricket: www.apnews.com/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

By Associated Press 19 June 2019, 12:00AM

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