The Latest: Afghanistan 104-3 after 25 overs, chasing 398

By Associated Press 19 June 2019, 12:00AM

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

4:20 p.m.

Afghanistan has just lost its third wicket and slipped to 104-3 after 25 overs as it replies to England's imposing 397-6 at Old Trafford.

Rahmat Shah was caught in the deep off Adil Rashid for 46 to end a 52-run third-wicket stand with Hashmatullah Shahidi, who remained not out on 18.

The Afghans are against it, chasing the sixth highest total ever at a World Cup, and lost a wicket in the second over with 4 on the scoreboard when Jofra Archer bowled Noor Ali Zadran (0).

Afghanistan skipper Gulbadin Naib scored 37 in a 48-run second-wicket stand before he top-edged an attempted pull shot against Mark Wood and was well caught by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler running toward fine leg and diving to complete the dismissal.

England's innings was powered by a 148 from skipper Eoin Morgan that contained a world-record 17 sixes. England's 25 sixes was also a record for a one-day international innings.

Top-ranked England has won three of its first four games and No. 10 Afghanistan has four consecutive losses.

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3:15 p.m.

Australia allrounder Marcus Stoinis could return from a left side strain to play against Bangladesh on Thursday.

Stoinis missed the wins over Pakistan and Sri Lanka after he was injured while bowling against India on June 9. Mitch Marsh joined the squad on standby.

Cricket Australia posted a video of Stoinis bowling in the nets in training at Trent Bridge, the venue of the game, and Australia coach Justin Langer says the allrounder is in contention to play for the team.

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2:05 p.m.

England captain Eoin Morgan clobbered 148 from 71 balls including a World Cup record 17 sixes against Afghanistan.

Morgan went to the crease in the 30th over with England at 164-2 and raised the total to 359 before he was out in the 47th over.

England finished with an ODI record total at Old Trafford of 397-6, and a record 25 sixes in a one-day international innings.

Morgan, who had been a doubtful starter because of a back problem, raised his half century from 36 balls with a towering six — his fifth of the innings — off Mohammad Nabi in the 39th over and reached his century from 57 balls.

He beat Chris Gayle's record of 16 sixes in an ODI against Zimbabwe in the 2015 World Cup when he flat-batted Gulbadin Naib straight down the ground, but was caught in the deep on the next delivery from his opposing captain.

Morgan dominated a 189-run third-wicket partnership with Joe Root, who was 45 when his skipper arrived at the crease and was eventually out for 88 from 82 deliveries.

Some poor fielding cost Afghanistan, none more than the dropped catch when Morgan was on 28. He pulled Rashid Khan out to deep midwicket, where Dawlat Zadran got one hand to the ball before it trickled to the boundary.

Morgan hit two more sixes in the over, and barely seemed to stop clearing the boundary in a game involving the tournament's highest and lowest-ranked teams.

He took 22 off one over against Rashid and generally dismantled Afghanistan's best bowler, who conceded the worst-ever figures in a World Cup of 0-110 from nine overs.

Moeen Ali hit the 25th six of the innings on the penultimate ball as England beat its own record for most sixes in an ODI innings.

Morgan and Jason Roy didn't bat last week in the eight-wicket win over West Indies because of injuries, with the skipper leaving the field with back muscle spasms and the opening batsman going off tearing his left hamstring. Morgan recovered in time to take on Afghanistan, but Roy was ruled out this week for at least two games.

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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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