The Albany Gazette - Bumrah strikes as England slump to 26-5 in 1st ODI

Bumrah sparked a top-order collapse in a remarkable burst of 4-6 in four overs, with Jason Roy, Joe Root and Ben Stokes and Liam Livingstone, all for ducks.

Opening batsman Roy, attempting a booming drive off Bumrah, played on for a five-ball nought on his Surrey home ground to leave England 6-1 in the second over.

Two balls later, Joe Root -- the world's top-ranked Test batsman -- was undone by a Bumrah delivery that lifted off a good length and was caught behind in overcast condiions favouring quick bowlers.

And in the next over Test captain Ben Stokes, a left-handed batsman, fell for a golden duck when he inside-edged an intended drive off Mohammed Shami and was brilliantly caught by diving wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.

At that stage, England were 7-3 in 2.4 overs after being sent into bat.

Jonny Bairstow, fresh from two hundreds during England's seven-wicket win in the Covid-delayed fifth Test against India at Edgbaston, then fell for seven after edging an excellent Bumrah delivery to Pant, who held a diving right-handed catch.

Livingstone became the fourth duck of the innings when, walking across his crease, he was clean bowled leg-stump by Bumrah to leave England 26-5 in the eighth over.

Rohit, speaking at the toss, said the grass cover on the pitch and the overhead conditions had been factors in his decision to field first.

But he also highlighted the skill of his new-ball duo, saying: "Shami and Bumrah, those guys can swing the ball up front and that is something we thought of as well, put the brakes on England."

This was the first time Bairstow, Root and Stokes had played a 50-over international together since England's 2019 World Cup final win over New Zealand at Lord's, but the trio managed just seven runs between them on Tuesday.

(K.Lüdke--BBZ)