Stokes impresses for Lions

The Durham all-rounder was controversially omitted from the national side's 15-man squad for the showpiece event in Australia and New Zealand, but responded by taking four for 22 in Bloemfontein as the hosts were all out for 172 after being asked to bat first.

Stokes then contributed a valuable 31 with the bat before Samit Patel and Liam Plunkett put on an unbroken 39-run stand as the Lions won by four wickets.

Stokes was one of five players to join the Lions following the drawn unofficial Test series against the same opponents, and he made an immediate impression on Sunday.

After Harry Gurney and Boyd Rankin had made early inroads, Stokes struck with his first ball as Dean Elgar thumped to mid-off to depart for 21.

Theunis de Bruyn made 19 before a top-edged pull gave Stokes his second wicket, while Justin Ontong was caught behind off Plunkett as the hosts fell to 88 for five.

Dane Vilas and David Wiese put on 56 to stage a mini-recovery but the latter was caught behind off Gurney for 18 and the tail folded quickly.

Wiese top-scored with 39 but his counter-attacking innings came to an end when he thumped to mid-off off Stokes, who cleaned up last man Marchant de Lange as the hosts were bowled out in 39.3 overs.

Jason Roy and Alex Lees made a decent start in reply, putting on 43 for the opening wicket.

But Lees was dismissed for 12 while Lions captain James Vince made a duck as he was caught behind off D e Lange, who had Roy lbw to end an entertaining innings of 41 off 44 balls.

That left England wobbling on 67 for three and that became 88 for four when Jonny Bairstow edged Wiese to slip.

Stokes restored some semblance of calm with a resolute 31 off 50 balls although he and Sam Billings departed before the Lions reached their victory target.

Patel and Plunkett (22no) settled quickly, though, with the latter launching Eddie Leie for the first six of the match.

Patel (17no) then struck the winning runs in the 35th over to give the Lions a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.