Today’s back pages: Stokes catch gives England a flying start in Cricket World Cup

A round up of the sport headlines from UK newspapers on 31 May

England players congratulate Ben Stokes on his wonder catch against South Africa at The Oval
England players congratulate Ben Stokes on his wonder catch against South Africa at The Oval
(Image credit: Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

England’s victory over South Africa in the opening match of the ICC Cricket World Cup makes front and back page headlines in the UK today.

The all-rounder top-scored with 89 runs and also took two wickets at The Oval. However, it was his “moment of magic” in the field, says the Independent, that will live long in the memory of cricket fans.

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Stokes took a flying catch to dismiss South Africa’s Andile Phehlukwayo. The catch was so good that it was described in commentary as one of the “greatest of all time” while The Guardian called it “out of this world”.

In case you didn’t see it, here is Stokes’s wonder catch...