Watch free highlights via this link.
England are “privileged” to have an all-rounder of Moeen Ali’s ability, according to skipper Eoin Morgan, on a day of match-winning displays at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Moeen struck his second one-day international hundred and followed up with 2-47 to help dismiss Scotland for just 184, meaning England got their first win of the World Cup in some style.
But it wasn’t just the Moeen show that powered England’s 303 for eight batting first.
Ian Bell racked up 54 at the top - in a 172-run opening stand with Moeen - and skipper Morgan himself got a confidence-boosting 46 off 42 balls, while Steven Finn was the pick of the bowlers with 3-26 in his nine overs.
The individual displays were critical to England’s 119-run victory and Morgan said: “Guys building around match-winners is a good sign.
“You name the outstanding performances – Moeen, Finny was brilliant. (But) guys around that - Broady (Stuart Broad) bowled really well, unrewarded, and Mo again with the ball built pressure and stuck with it and got two or three.
“We went three or four games where we didn’t perform as a side. And today we’ve put in a good performance.”
On Moeen’s innings, which included 12 fours and five sixes and which exuded dominance after an early touch of fortune when he was dropped, Morgan had plenty to smile about.
Worcestershire’s Moeen was named man of the match for his 128 off just 107 balls – his stand with Bell became England’s highest at a World Cup - with Morgan adding: “I rate him really highly.
“He’s an all-rounder that we haven’t had for a long time; somebody who opens the batting and plays in the fashion that he does, and the purchase he gets on the ball.
“We are very privileged. We certainly don’t undervalue him.”
Morgan himself was pleased to come away with his personal display, even curbing his natural attacking instinct at the start, which helped stabilise the innings after Scotland made some inroads,.
The skipper joined forces with Jos Buttler to add 47 off the final five overs of the innings, and it boosts confidence following the disappointment against New Zealand.
“It’s certainly nice to spend a bit of time at the wicket and get some runs, given my run of low scores,” Morgan said.
“The bounce here was little bit different and the wicket slowed up a lot. It took a bit of time to get the pace of it.
“Having lost two men in probably the space of five overs… it was difficult to rotate strike in the middle of the powerplay as well.
"It was not easy to bang it from ball one. So it was a bit more of a calculated and reserved innings.”