SAM MORSHEAD picks out some of the key issues from England's clash with South Africa in the opening game of the Cricket World Cup...
There were rumblings of discontent among the England camp upon arrival at The Oval on Wednesday, when they discovered a green-topped pitch much unlike anything they have played on at the south London venue over the past four years.
The strip received a fresh haircut overnight and was unveiled on Thursday to be a little flatter and faster but there was still plenty on offer for the Proteas’ attack, and so the early overs proved.
With the ball appearing to hold up a little in the wicket, Imran Tahir achieved grip and turn to dismiss Jonny Bairstow and nearly bewitched Joe Root, too, while Lungi Ngidi came within a whisker of having England’s No.3 caught at gully.
Later on, South Africa had success at the death with a series of cutters and slower balls. The home side struggled to generate the power needed to clear the ropes and only two boundaries were struck in 10 overs between the 37th and 47th.
While England did eventually push themselves over 300, there were signs here that this extraordinary team can be twisted out of shape.
Ben Stokes in action
Faf du Plessis and the South African coaching staff came up with the ingenious idea of giving the new ball to Imran Tahir, and it immediately paid dividends when Bairstow edged through to Quinton de Kock.
It was only the third time the legspinner had taken the new ball in one-day internationals, it was the first time a legspinner had bowled the first delivery of a World Cup; in fact, it was the first time any action other than right-arm seam had been given the nod to open the tournament.
Suddenly, the air of expectation around The Oval turned into a cautious hush, curiously broken by a burst of Kaisef Chiefs over the PA system when Joe Root blocked into the covers.
Bairstow, in league with Jason Roy, has treated seam with utter disdain in the powerplay over the past year and a half. Going to spin just makes good sense.
Expect other opponents to follow suit over the next four weeks.
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There’s something quintessentially English about being absolutely convinced the worst is about to happen when a minor bump is encountered in the road.
A little congestion on the evening commute? "Definitely won’t be home before bedtime".
The local offy sold out of your favourite beer? "Might as well not bother going out".
Lose a wicket in the first over? "We’re going to be all out for 50, here".
That England under Eoin Morgan don’t appear to react in the same way makes them a different breed to you or I. This team remains unflustered in circumstances which their predecessors would have taken as good reason for an almighty implosion.
Losing Bairstow so early in the day triggered a noticeable collective intake of breath from the partisan support inside The Oval, but up in the dressing room nothing had changed.
The structure and system that Morgan has put in place these past four years allows for obstructions because, after all, an obstruction can be sidestepped. Or hurdled. Or if necessary obliterated from the face of the earth.
England have lost a wicket in the first over of an ODI on 17 occasions since the 2015 World Cup, according to CricViz, yet they have gone on to win 10 of those matches.
If you trip this team up, you better make sure they stumble over the edge of a cliff, else they will just dust themselves down and come back for more.
Imran Tahir took the new ball
It was a day of milestones for England captain Eoin Morgan.
He became the first player to represent the country 200 times in ODIs and soon followed that up with his 7,000th run in the format.
Only 40 other men have managed the feat, with Morgan’s runs spread over his appearances for England and Ireland.
Hands up if you fancy an over against Jofra Archer…
Yeah, thought not. And especially not in the kind of mood the allrounder rocked up at The Oval in today.
Archer topped 90mph routinely and was by some distance the fastest bowler on show, in terms of average speed, from either side.
He flummoxed Aiden Markram with a short ball that leapt catlike up to chest height, and did for Faf du Plessis with the extra yard of pace which resulted in a top edge.
What’s more, he entertained. The crowd love watching him, he evidently loves being at the epicentre of the contest and England are richer for it.
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When Adil Rashid spun one into Quinton de Kock's leg stump, the spinner could justifiably expect to have been celebrating his first wicket of the tournament.
The light-up bails, though, remained firmly in their grooves despite not inconsiderable contact. It's not the first time we have seen such a scenario in recent months. One for the ICC to keep an eye on.
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