By Paul Newman for MailOnline
Published: 14:56 BST, 27 May 2019 | Updated: 15:03 BST, 27 May 2019
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The preparations are almost complete and the waiting is nearly over.
England safely negotiated their last hurdle before the World Cup with a crushing victory over Afghanistan at the Oval on Monday and can now look forward with relish to the big one here on Thursday.
They will approach their first World Cup game against South Africa in good heart, too, after seemingly overcoming the little cluster of injuries that briefly threatened to inconvenience the hosts and strong tournament favourites.
England opener Jason Roy marks his half-century off 28 balls against Afghanistan
Roy plays a shot through midwicket en route to his fifty as England overcame Afghanistan
Roy scrambles through for a single as he enters the World Cup in fine scoring form
The good news is that captain Eoin Morgan would have been fit to bat against the cup minnows just three days after fracturing his left index finger and that Mark Wood, we are assured, will be good to go against South Africa after his latest left ankle scare.
That means 10 members of England's starting XI can be predicted with confidence, with Wood, Liam Plunkett and Tom Curran competing for the final bowling place alongside certainties Chris Woakes, Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.
The fact Archer's place is already guaranteed is no real surprise, such an emphatic impression has he made in his short time with the squad, and the newcomer was at it again on Monday with two early wickets and three in all as Afghanistan were hustled out for 160.
Openers Jason Roy (left) and Jonny Bairstow mark another boundary during England's chase
Roy drives through mid on for four as England set off in pursuit of their victory target of 161
Bairstow gets some important runs under his belt ahead of England's home World Cup
Joe Root helped steer England towards victory in their final game before the World Cup
England's probable XI to