(AFP) – Ben Stokes starred in all departments as England began their quest to win the World Cup with a 104-run thrashing of South Africa in the tournament opener at The Oval yesterday.

The all-rounder top-scored with 89 in England’s 311-8, held a brilliant catch in the outfield and took 2-12, including the last wicket, as England won with 61 balls left.

Jofra Archer did the early damage with the ball, the fast bowler taking 3-27 in seven overs.

Barbados-born Archer, who only qualified for England in March, made his presence felt even before he had taken a wicket with a bouncer that beat Hashim Amla for pace and crashed into the grille of the helmet, with the veteran opener retiring hurt on five.

Archer then reduced the Proteas to 44-2.

Aiden Markram edged to Joe Root at slip and South Africa captain Faf du Plessis fell for just five when he top-edged a hook to long leg.

But Quinton de Kock kept the Proteas in the hunt, although the opener was lucky when on 25 he played a ball from leg-spinner Adil Rashid onto his stumps only for the bails to stay put. 

The dashing left-hander went on to complete a 58-ball fifty but holed out off fast bowler Liam Plunkett for 68.

Rassie van der Dussen then made exactly 50 without pressing on when he miscued Archer to mid-on.

His exit saw Amla return with South Africa struggling at 167-6 in the 32nd over.

The game was all but up for South Africa when a back-pedalling and diving Stokes held a brilliant one-handed catch in the deep to dismiss Andile Phehlukwayo.

Amla’s brave effort to rescue the innings ended on 13 when he was caught behind off Plunkett’s slower-ball bouncer and Stokes finished the match when Imran Tahir edged him to Root.

Stokes was one of four England batsmen who got to 50 on a tricky surface, with captain Eoin Morgan (57), Jason Roy (54) and Root (51) all out soon after reaching the landmark.

England lost a wicket second ball before Roy and Root shared a stand of 106 that was equalled by Morgan and Stokes.

du Plessis opted to field despite being without injured spearhead Dale Steyn and took the unorthodox decision to give leg-spinner Tahir the first over. 

The 40-year-old, the oldest player in the tournament, struck second ball when Jonny Bairstow was caught behind by de Kock for a golden duck.

Roy and Root repaired the damage but were dismissed when well set as England lost two wickets for four runs in four balls to be 111-3.

Morgan, whose aggressive approach has been symbolic of England’s rise to the top of the one-day international rankings after their woeful first-round exit at the 2015 World Cup, struck the match’s first two sixes off successive balls from Lungi Ngidi before he too was caught in the deep.

Left-hander Stokes saw his 79-ball knock end in the penultimate over when caught at third man following a reverse hit off paceman Ngidi (66-3).