Morgan plays down Stokes injury concern

England captain Eoin Morgan has played down injury concerns around Ben Stokes, after the allrounder left the field for a few overs due to a sore left knee and bowled only two overs in the first ODI against South Africa in Headingley.

Morgan stated that Stokes did not have any significant signs of injury and said that he had opted not to bowl him once he came back on the field as a precautionary measure.

"When he came back onto the field he had the green light to bowl," Morgan said. "I felt bowling him again wasn't worth the risk. He doesn't even have swelling - there are no significant signs of an injury - but we can assess that over the next couple of days. He did the right thing to go out and get it checked. A knee can be quite a significant injury if it does happen."

Stokes came into the attack in the 18th over, with South Africa well placed at 97 for 1 in a chase of 340 and was in some discomfort at the end of the over. He had a chat with the team physio by the edge of the boundary between overs and left the field after his second over. He then returned in the 26th over, after South Africa had lost Hashim Amla and Faf du Plessis quickly.

Ultimately, England did not need Stokes' services as a bowler, as they defended 339 with considerable ease, winning by 72 runs. Amla, who top-scored for the visitors with 73, felt his side suffered as none of the batsmen went on to make a century to anchor their steep chase. He was fulsome in his praise for Morgan and Moeen Ali, who had slammed an unbeaten 77 off 51 balls to lead England surge in the slog overs.

"In any ODI, if somebody gets to a hundred, it will propel you to a good total, specially if you bat lower down the order," Amla said. "You get guys batting at 4 and 5 coming late in the game and getting a hundred, that's why Morgan's innings was a game-changer. Moeen's 70-odd also allowed England to get 20-30 runs more than what we expected."

Morgan lauded Moeen's composure at the crease as the pair added 117 runs for the sixth wicket in 81 balls, and England went on to plunder 102 runs in their last 10 overs.

"Batting at No. 7 is one of the hardest jobs going because you don't know whether to shoot or not," Morgan said. "He was very calm and composed in what he did, gave himself some time at the crease and was able to take the game to South Africa at the end."

Morgan's 107 against South Africa on Wednesday was his third ODI hundred in 2017, taking his tally to 491 from nine innings with an average of 54.55. He is in the most consistent form of his England career.

"I feel in good form. I felt like this against Ireland, I felt like this in India, I felt like this in the Big Bash," he said. "I have never gone through a stage this long where I have been able to keep it up. I'm not sure what it is down to. Maybe a bit of experience."