Live Commentary: World Cup: England vs. Scotland - as it happened

Evening cricket fans, and opportunistic Scots. Two days on from their humiliation at the hands of New Zealand, England face their associate-nation neighbours in a World Cup match in which there is huge pressure for them to win and deliver a performance. News from the toss coming up...

SCOTLAND WIN THE TOSS AND BOWL Scotland skipper Preston Mommsen has won the toss and chosen to insert England in overcast conditions at the Hagley Oval. A good toss to win, and a smart decision considering England's batting fragilities in their heavy defeats to Australia and the Black Caps.

The other news from the toss is that England are unchanged, that is despite being bowled out for 123 against the Kiwis and seeing their total chased down in the most emphatic fashion imaginable. Two changes for Scotland, with Freddie Coleman and Alasdair Evans replacing Hamish Gardiner and Rob Taylor.

It is somehow both surprising and predictable that England are unchanged. They are without doubt the most habitual team in the world, obsessed with plans, and feel that this is their most balanced side. Yet it is slightly baffling that they can stick with the same side that has been so outplayed twice.

Stubbornness can be great at times and absolutely madness at times... #Justsaying — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 22, 2015

Morgan suggesting at the toss that he is looking at the players who got England in this mess to get them out of it: "It has not been the ideal start to the campaign but this is a chance for us to get started.

"I would have bowled first but the wicket looks good, so we don't mind batting first. The balance of our side and the chance for players to put a performance under the belt is the most important thing. It is a strong side we have put out and a chance for us to turn things around."

Mommsen said: "This is where we qualified for the World Cup so we are happy to be here. He [Paul Collingwood] has been hugely influential and knows the England players so he has been very valuable.

"The wicket should play well but we may get some swing early on. It is always nice to be playing the neighbours. They have not had the best start so hopefully we can put them under pressure early on."

Sundaram Ravi and Rod Tucker are the umpires for this one. Confirmation of the lineups below:

England: Moeen Ali, Ian Bell, Gary Ballance, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (c), James Taylor, Jos Buttler (wk), Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Steven Finn, James Anderson

Scotland: Kyle Coetzer, Calum MacLeod, Freddie Coleman, Matt Machan, Preston Mommsen (c), Richie Berrington, Matthew Cross (wk), Josh Davey, Majid Haq, Alasdair Evans, Iain Wardlaw

Paul Collingwood got a mention from Mommsen at the toss. The former England all-rounder, now assistant coach for Scotland, has been mischievously stirring things up over the last few days, suggesting that England are underachieving and that a defeat here could spell the end for Peter Moores.

The teams are out for the anthems. Scotland sang there's with rather more fervour. Ian Bell's eyes were almost trying too hard to appear steely focussed as he and Moeen Ali now approach the crease.

Here we go then. It is time to deliver England. Iain Wardlaw to bowl to Moeen. Play!

Moeen is off the mark first ball with a crisp punch to extra cover's right. Wardlaw's line to Bell is good, on about the fifth-stump, and there is a hint of some gentle away movement as Bell repeatedly leaves. He just pushes his final ball a bit too full and Bell drives him through the off-side ring for two.

Josh Davey is the other Scotland opening bowler, and he does not have anywhere near the same accuracy as his partner. Moeen whips through mid-wicket for two and four wides add to England's early score. There is swing from this end too, but Davey has yet to get control of it. There is perhaps some nerves in there, but he finishes well by beating Moeen's outside edge.

A maiden for Wardlaw, who gets away with a first-ball bouncer which Bell swats straight to mid-wicket. He finds his areas again and there is not a shot in anger from Bell. It seems that there is no change of approach from England in relation to how they are going to approach this bowling power play.

That's more like it. Moeen will play more freely and he thrashes Davey through the off-side for two boundaries, one over the top and one along the ground. There is too much width on offer, although it nearly brings a chance as one crunching drive falls just short of the short cover fielder. Moeen completes a good set by lofting Davey over his head for six, and there is now big pressure on the bowler.

Bell runs through for a single to wide mid-on, though again not timing an attempted pull. Wardlaw slips a wide down leg to the left-handed Moeen, and that is England's two from the over.

Bowling change, with Alasdair Evans replacing the nervy Davey, who went for 20 in his two overs. Bell finds the middle of the bat to smash a loose short ball to the fence first ball. He appears in trouble next ball though, with one keeping low and strapping him on the pads. Not out is the call, and Scotland decide against the review, with wicketkeeper Matthew Cross indicating that it had nipped back too much and was going down. Hawk-eye suggests it was hitting, but would not have been overturned on umpire's call. A single each and a wide make it an expensive start for Evans, although he did threaten.

Too short from Wardlaw. Bell pulls him for three across the slow outfield, dampened by rain in Christchurch this week. Moeen connects more cleanly to dispatch the ball to the boundary. Three more singles off the over, and after a tight first few, England are now finding it pretty easy to score.

Nowt in pitch for Scotland's bowlers, big ground, England would have to botch this up monumentally to lose from here — Derek Pringle (@derekpringle) February 22, 2015

Bell has been pretty circumspect so far. He turns one off his hips, with good fielding on the boundary preventing two and Moeen soon picks up one with a replica shot. Evans then draws a false leave from Bell, with the ball deflecting off the hanging bat and going down safely to third man for one.

A change of ends for Davey and he fares better. A leg-stump half volley is flicked for three by Bell. That would have been four in dryer conditions. Smart fielding at mid-off limits Moeen to one for his classy back-foot punch and more good work off his own bowling saves Davey four from Bell's drive.

Moeen does not really commit himself to driving a length ball and edges through gully to the boundary to bring up England's 50. A more convincing shot, picking up a ball that wasn't that short and whipping it over mid-wicket, goes for four and a single to fine-leg takes Moeen to 26 from 24. Bell is 16 from 30 at the end of a good power play for England. Along the lines of what they were looking for.

Better from Davey, who hits the seam to beat the outside edge of Bell's bat in successive deliveries. A slightly wider one goes out to the newly-installed off-side sweeper. The downside of the fielding restrictions ending means that there are gaps aplenty and England take four from the over.

We have some spin, 12 overs in. I'm a poet. Majid Haq is Scotland's most experienced bowler, their leading wicket taker in ODI cricket in fact. His first delivery is an old-school moon ball, which fools Moeen for a lack of pace and a bottom edge through the keeper's legs brings two. Bowling this slowly, Haq cannot afford to drop short, but he does and Moeen gets under it to lift a six over mid-wicket. When Bell gets on strike, he nearly chips a catch up to a fielder in short on the leg side.

FIFTY! Clearing his front leg and thumping Davey over mid-on for a one-bounce four, Moeen goes to his half-century in 39 balls. It's been an innings of purpose, and an important one considering that Bell, who also picks up three from the over, has been tentative with 21 off 38.

Haq's loopy tweakers are dropping from the sky on just back of a length, and Bell is having a bit of trouble getting him away, playing from the crease. He eventually works a single off his hip to add to the one which Moeen picked up punching the ball through extra cover. Two off the over.

Richie Berrington, who made runs against New Zealand, comes on to bowl his part-time medium pace. He hits a good area and goes for only one off his first five balls, but Moeen is not going to allow him to get into a rhythm and he strokes him over his head for six. A beautiful, positive shot.

Bell's eyes light up under Haq's first ball, but an ugly cross-batted shot straight down the ground brings him only one. Both batsman look a bit uncomfortable lunging forward to Haq and an aerial prod from Moeen falls just short of cover. The lack of pace is such, though, that you could play him from the crease all day and Moeen patiently waits to cut him through point for a single. Moeen 59 (49), Bell 24 (47).

England go into drinks with an 11-run over. Bell finally goes on the attack and gets enough on a lofted drive for it to beat mid-off and roll away for four. That shot puts the pressure on Berrington and he drops short, with Moeen simply helping the ball around the corner to the long-leg fence.

There are singles on offer straight and square on both sides of the wicket against Haq and England take five of them. A no-ball for kicking the stumps on the approach and two from a Moeen edge take the total off the over to eight. Haq is causing a few problems when the length is right though.

Mommsen is shuffling his bowlers around and brings back Evans. He goes round the wicket to Moeen to restrict the width that he thrives on. A tight over, just a single each for the batsmen.

A double bowling change, with Matt Machan coming on. England comfortably push the ball around for five singles off his round-arm offies. Scotland are in desperate need of a wicket, so perhaps bringing back Wardlaw would have been a better option? England are well set for a big score here.

Right. I've seen enough. English Cricket Crisis postponed til next week #CWC15

— Andrew Miller (@miller_cricket) February 22, 2015

Another decent over from Evans, with just three runs to Bell coming off it. He firstly picks up two punching through the off-side and then collects one with a trademark chop to third man.

Six off another unthreatening Machan over. There are shouts of 'catch' as he uses his feet and flicks over the leg-side infield for two, but the ball was comfortably high of the fielder.

Scotland are flat. They were sensing an upset prior to the start, but this opening partnership has destroyed their enthusiasm. Another short ball gets the treatment from Moeen. Bell briefly looks in trouble after some hesitant running, but easily gets home, even with the direct hit. He chops to third man again to pinch the strike. I would like to see him be more positive though. Only two boundaries so far.

Wardlaw is back into the attack, a few overs too late for my liking. Moeen can usually be targeted with the short ball, but not at this pace and an otherwise-decent over is marred by one short one which the left-hander swats for four behind square leg. A single takes him to 87 off 77.

Mommsen is keeping the scorers as busy as England's batsmen. Haq is back for a second spell, having gone for 22 in four overs. A couple of twos, one courtesy of a leg-side slog and another from a more aesthetic lift over cover, help Moeen move into the 90s, not so nervous under this little duress.

A pull around the corner from Bell brings up England's 150 off the final ball of the 26th, bowled by Wardlaw. Moeen has 93 off 84 and Bell 47 from 73. Both should be targeting big hundreds.

Through hook or by crook, Haq is perhaps the only Scotland bowler who is making England's batsmen think. He dots up Bell for the first four balls before the Warwickshire man gets off strike with a flat sweep to deep square-leg. Moeen respectfully blocks the final hand grenade into the off-side.

FIFTY! Bell goes to a very leisurely, safe half-century, his 33rd in ODIs. Kyle Coetzer is the new bowler. An interesting move. The opening batsman is rarely used by Northants. He throws down some gentle mediums, and Moeen also helps himself to a total of four as he moves to 97.

HUNDRED! Moeen clears his front leg and laps Haq over cow corner to go to his second ODI hundred. It has come off 91 balls and included nine boundaries and four maximums. It may only be against Scotland, but it is a World Cup century for Moeen and an attractive one at that. Now I would like to see him and Bell, whose own slog sweep falls just short of the fielder running around from deep mid-wicket really cut loose and go on the attack. They have reached their respective milestones, but they cannot afford to coast now. England need every run considering how poor their net run-rate currently is.

No signs that England are yet heeding the advice of Wollaton CC's second XI captain. Foolish, considering the promotion charge that I inspired last season under a shoestring budget. Just the four singles off a Coetzer over in which Bell nearly chipped a catch to point with a loose drive on the up. On the plus side, these two have now put on England's highest ever opening partnership at a World Cup.

WICKET! IAN BELL caught COETZER bowled BERRINGTON 54(85)

Finally a breakthrough for Scotland! Berrington comes back into the attack and Bell drives his first ball straight to Coetzer at chest height at cover. Bell is furious with himself, shuttering as he reluctantly departs. He made fifty, but surely could have made more use of his 30 overs in the middle?

I just don't understand this move. Gary Ballance comes in at three, when the base has been perfectly set for somebody more explosive like Morgan or Jos Buttler to play an aggressive pressure-free innings. Yet another example of England's refusal to adapt to the situation.

At last some damage done against Coetzer, who bowled only three overs for Northants all of last season. Moeen sits back and crashes a slightly short ball over the leg-side for six. He has score plenty of his 115 runs in that fashion today. Ballance takes two singles down the ground.

Moeen frees his arms and launches Berrington over his head for four. The Scotland wicket taker is in for some more punishment when he sends down a wide one which is crashed emphatically to the fence. 124 is now his highest ODI score. Ballance picks up another couple of singles.

This was the moment when Mo (124* off 103) brought up his hundred! 195-1 after 33 overs. #EngvSco #LoveEngland pic.twitter.com/gPiJRAv75u

— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 23, 2015

Coetzer is hooked as Evans returns for a third spell. He goes into death-bowler mode and shackles Moeen with a slower-ball bouncer and a yorker. He drifts onto the pads and is unlucky that Moeen manages to squeeze him away to the leg-side boundary and bring up England's 200. Drinks.

WICKET! MOEEN ALI caught COLEMAN bowled HAQ 128(107)

Haq is back and claims the scalp of England's century maker! A flighted 40mph ball tempts Moeen into a big slog sweep, but he gets more height than distance and Freddie Coleman takes a pretty good catch in the deep. That brings to an end a really good knock from Moeen and will hopefully give him the confidence to produce similar innings against more testing opposition should England progress in the tournament.

England again stick with their rigid order as Root comes in at four. He is the man in form, but now we have reached the batting power play and England are going to have Root and Ballance in the middle, which is not ideal. He pats back his first ball before using his feet to flick a single through the leg side. Ballance keeps the strike with a single to long-off. Haq trots off, delighted with his wicket.

WICKET! GARY BALLANCE bowled EVANS 10(18)

Two wickets in four balls for Scotland as Ballance chops on while trying to guide Evans down to third man. No feet movement or conviction behind the shot. The Yorkshire batsman does not look in any sort of touch at all and fails at number three again. There will be more calls for Alex Hales to be given a chance.

Morgan sees out the rest of the Evans over without scoring, so the first over of the batting power play is a wicket maiden. Only with England would that even be a possibility.

WICKET! JOE ROOT caught CROSS bowled DAVEY 1(3)

England have lost another one! Davey, who struggled during his first two spells, is given the nod for the power play and gets one to nibble away from Root. It brushes the outside edge and Cross takes a simple catch behind the stumps. That's a good seed to be fair, and England's form man is gone.

James Taylor is England's new man and he edges the first runs of the power play through third slip. Credit to Scotland, they have pulled England back here. A target of 350 plus was on the cards a few overs ago but now all of a sudden they have to consolidate, and in the power play too.

Morgan finally gets off the mark 10th ball, clipping one down to fine leg. Taylor also takes two singles off his pads to add to a wide as another good Evans over yields only four runs.

The slight pressure that Scotland were mounting is relieved with of a couple of Davey wides down leg, and he overcorrects next ball and offers Morgan too much width. The captain throws his arms through a convincing shot which flies over extra cover and to the fence. That would have felt good.

Evans finishes off both his spell and the batting power play. Some really good running and manoeuvring of the ball help England take eight from the over without hitting a boundary. Evans ends with figures of 10-1-46-1 and bowled well in his third spell to restrict England to 22-2 in the power play.

Just one off Wardlaw's return over, which is really not good enough at this stage of an innings. There were a couple of good yorkers in there, but England were content to pat back length balls.

England are risking falling short of 300, which seemed unfathomable an hour back. Only three come off Haq's ninth over. How are England not attacking him with eight overs to go?

Better from Morgan, who latches onto a short ball to pull for six, although the ball landed on the rope and he could have been in trouble had the fielder not been a few yards in from the boundary. Another aerial hit over extra - where he is so strong - brings him four and a square cut two more.

Haq bowls out to finish with 10-0-51-1. It is remarkable that England never truly attacked him. Australia or New Zealand would have murdered him. Five come off his last over. Taylor will be glad to see the back of the spinner, having struggled to find his timing against the pace-less lobs.

Lots of talk about Majid Haq on commentary, he finishes a great spell of 1 for 51 http://t.co/Ey5cbtwoUr 264 for 4 pic.twitter.com/1F3gcsXFGa

— ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2015

WICKET! JAMES TAYLOR stumped CROSS bowled DAVEY 17(26)

This is a great piece of work from the wicketkeeper to get rid of Taylor. The England batsman charges and Davey sends a wide yorker down which Cross, who currently plays in the Nottinghamshire Premier League for Attenborough CC, gathers superbly and quickly takes off the bails. Taylor survived an lbw review earlier in the over, but the third umpire sends him on his way this time as he could not get back to his ground.

Buttler announces himself at the crease with a delightful flick to the mid-wicket boundary first ball. These are exactly the two men who England would want in to finish the innings.

Why wasn't Buttler in 20 overs ago? He quickly gets the ramp out as the expensive Berrington goes for another boundary. A reverse sweep next ball is only stopped from reaching the rope by a brilliant diving stop by Davey at short fine-leg. Eleven off the over in total, including two wides to start.

Morgan gets Buttler back on strike and Wardlaw nearly snaffles a great caught and bowled to dismiss the wicketkeeper. It came back at him quickly and just would not stick. It is a good over, only five off it until Buttler gives himself room to scythe over cover for four to move onto 17 off nine.

Davey bowls the 48th and again it is a reasonable over for Scotland until they concede a boundary to an inventive Buttler reverse sweep. He is so adept at manipulating the field. Two left.

WICKET! JOS BUTTLER caught DAVEY bowled WARDLAW 24(14)

Wardlaw deservedly finishes with a wicket as Buttler picks up Davey at long-on. He was trying to hit over extra cover again, but caught this one a bit too straight. Another taste of what he can do...

Prior to Buttler's dimissal, Morgan started the over with a sweetly-struck straight six and a four through square leg. Woakes, the new man, nearly squeezes four past short fine leg first ball.

WICKET! EOIN MORGAN caught MOMMSEN bowled DAVEY 46(42)

Morgan falls short of what would have been a morale-boosting half-century as he skies one off Davey, and Scotland skipper Mommsen holds on well to get rid of his counterpart.

WICKET! CHRIS WOAKES caught MOMMSEN bowled DAVEY 1(2)

Mommsen takes another great catch to send Woakes back. This really was a steepler, and he keeps his eye on the ball to take it falling backwards. Davey now has four and could yet finish with five!

Davey misses out on a hat-trick of the Steven Finn ilk at the MCG. Speaking of Finn, he and Stuart Broad add three to the total thanks to a couple of byes. The Scot finishes with 4-68 off 10 overs, with England just managing to get over the 300 mark, despite having once threatened much more.

A decent total for England, but it should have been a lot more. They seemed set for 350 plus when Moeen Ali's century helped them to 172-0, but the loss of a few quick wickets hampered their momentum.

England finish on 303-8, Moeen Ali top-scoring with 128. Scotland will chase 304 runs to win. #EngvSco #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/oYiTklfbZY — England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 23, 2015

Although against a modest bowling attack, Moeen batted with great flair and intent for his 128, but that was lacking at the other end as Ian Bell limped to 54 off 85 balls. Keeping Ballance at three was a mistake as overs were wasted that Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler could have utilised at the end.

Morgan was slow to start, but his 46 is definitely a step in the right direction and he seemed to be striking the ball really cleanly. A good catch from Preston Mommsen denied him a half-century, and Scotland actually held well in the deep as they recovered well from a nervy start. Josh Davey, Iain Wardlaw and Alasdair Evans all bowled well in their third spells and Majid Haq claimed 1-51 with his loopy spin.

Now what can their batsmen do? Ireland have chased down 300 plus against England in a World Cup before, so this one is not over quite yet. Morgan's side have got themselves in a strong position and a couple of quick wickets with the new ball should put them on their way to victory.

Scotland's danger men with the bat are openers Kyle Coetzer and Calum MacLeod, who play for Northants and Durham respectively. Matthew Machan and Richie Berrington are also in good form, having made fifties against New Zealand on Tuesday. Their chase of 304 will begin very shortly...

Here we go then, James Anderson to bowl to Coetzer. Just the two slips in place. Play!

Great start from Scotland as they take nine from the first over. Coetzer flicks Anderson off his pads for four, but is dropped next ball as Root shells a really difficult chance diving to his right at second slip! They come through for a single and MacLeod rubs salt into the wounds by creaming the ball to the cover fence. Coetzer's edge would have gone straight into the hands of third slip, but Morgan just wasn't daring enough with his field, and that is a bit indicative of England's ODI approach.

It is Broad who continues with the new ball, rather than Woakes, and a friendly first ball is cracked through for four through mid-on by Coetzer. He responds by hitting the pitch and twice the ball gets high on Coetzer as he attempts to cut. Buttler and Bell appeal for caught behind on the second occasion, but Broad isn't interested, which is a sure sign as he is usually the fastest reviewer in the West.

WICKET! CALLUM MACLEOD caught BUTTLER bowled ANDERSON 4(6)

Early breakthrough for England as MacLeod comes down the track to Anderson and gets a thick edge through to Buttler when trying to carve through the offside. I am all for intent, but that was an unnecessary shot considering the start that Scotland had made, and MacLeod knows it as he trudges off.

Freddie Coleman, recalled to the team at three today, averages 12 in ODI cricket. He defends the first ball stoutly. There is some swing for Anderson and the early wicket will get him going.

Broad, who has gone at 5.7 runs per over and averaged over 46 with the ball in ODIs since January 2011, delivers a good second set which yields only a Coetzer single to mid-on.

Despite losing his partner, Coetzer is still looking to be positive and finds fielders with a couple of drives. After five dots, he picks up a length ball from Anderson and flicks it nicely for four.

Steaming in, Broad produces a snorter which rises and just misses Coleman's edge. He follows that up with a good bouncer and the batsman manages to get off strike with a cut to third man. Broad is a bit wider to Coetzer and he flashes through backward point, with the ball flying to the boundary.

Coezter is looking really good, having moved onto 31 off 26. He plays the shot of the day so far for me, a classy back-foot drive off Anderson which whistles to the cover fence, and follows that up with a more agricultural four through the same area, a powerful swat from the crease.

Good over for Scotland 10 from it, 37 for 1 the score, Great day in C'Church! http://t.co/Ey5cbtwoUr #ENGvSCO #cwc15 pic.twitter.com/WILQ3AAcus — ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2015

He picks up where he left off, Coetzer, with Broad again offering him too much room and a late cut goes fine for four. Only one slip in and no gully, and that flew through the cordon in the air.

A clip off the pads brings two to Coleman and he then gets on nicely top of a pull to long leg. Coetzer misses out on a wide half volley, but connects with two other drives which find fielders.

Broad squares up Coleman and finds an edge which goes down safely to third man. The number three picks up another single through there after Coetzer had rotated the strike. A pretty satisfying bowling power play for Scotland. Coetzer is well set and they have only lost one wicket.

WICKET! FREDDIE COLEMAN caught MORGAN bowled WOAKES 7(16)

A wicket for Woakes first ball! A fullish delivery is there for the drive, but Coleman does not commit to hitting it over the top and Morgan takes a sharp catch at head height at short cover.

So often England's golden arm, Woakes nearly gets Matt Machan first up, with the new batsman fending at one which nipped away. Woakes fancies himself as a genuine quickie likes dropping one short. Machan is quickly on it, rolling his wrists on a nice pull shot which brings him four.

WICKET! MATT MACHAN caught BUTTLER bowled FINN 5(7)

Another Morgan bowling change brings another wicket as Finn comes into the attack to dismiss Machan. It is almost a replica ball to the one which Woakes troubled the left-hander with in the last over, angling the ball across him and a weak prod feathers through to Buttler behind the stumps.

Scotland skipper Preston Mommsen takes one in the ribs from Finn first ball, but shakes that off to get in behind the second and see out the over. That wicket is just what Finn needed after he was torn to pieces by Brendon McCullum in Wellington the other day. Scotland are suddenly teetering.

Coetzer has 42 of Scotland's 58 and is without doubt the key wicket for England. They nearly get him as he top edges a hook off Woakes which Finn nearly reaches with a great diving effort, running round from long leg. The ball bounced under Finn's arm and over the boundary rope.

Mommsen takes another sore blow in the ribs from Finn and needs a time-out. He nudges the next ball down to third man to get out of the firing line. Coetzer cuts fiercely, but a diving stop from Bell limits him to one. England have somehow been good in the field and yet 'dropped' two catches.

Scotland are being forced into consolidation mode here. No boundary in four overs, with Mommsen struggling to cope with the pace and the fielding restrictions shackling Coetzer.

England's change bowlers are doing a really good job here and the required rate has climbed to above seven an over now. A single apiece for the Scotland pair off a buoyant Finn.

CELEBRATION! Finn embraces with Morgan after dismissing Machan with a lovely pitched-up ball #EngvSco #CWC15 pic.twitter.com/c5QHBU1QD5 — England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 23, 2015

See, I don't understand this bowling change. Woakes and Finn are 2-16 off six overs combined and have Mommsen looking shaky, and England turn to the spin of Moeen Ali. There is having plans and then there is working to a script. Three singles off the final over before the drinks break.

Finn resumes, refreshed by the juice, and hits a nice length, but he is a bit straight and four of five runs off the over come through the leg side, including a Coetzer clip for two to finish.

FIFTY! Coetzer goes to a well-deserved half-century, which he reaches off 64 rocks with eight boundaries. He has been slowed down since the fielding restrictions were lifted, but he really did play some superb shots in the power play. Meanwhile, a bit of drift for Moeen and Mommsen (eight from 21) is nearly fooled when chipping down the ground for a single, not too far short of the long-on fielder.

Finn is into his fifth over and has Mommsen in his sights. For the third time, the Scot is hit in the body when attempting a pull. Maybe put that shot back in the locker, Preston. Maiden.

A productive over for Scotland. It starts off with Coetzer sitting on his back foot and clubbing Moeen for four over the leg side, despite the best work of Anderson on the fence. There is a first boundary for Mommsen too, dancing down the track and splitting the straight fielders along the floor.

Eleven off the last over, 12 off this one as Woakes is greeted back into the attack by Coetzer throwing his arms through a lofted drive which goes over mid-off and rolls away. Four more follow as the next ball flicks off Coezter's pads and beats long-leg, and there is another boundary off the fifth ball as Coetzer latches onto a short-pitch ball and pulls into the ground and away for four.

Again using his feet against the spinner, Mommsen hits four down the ground, this time over the top. The Scotland skipper had previously offered the slightest caught and bowled chance to Moeen, who may not even have got a fingertip to the ball diving low to his right.

Just the one over for Woakes as Root comes back into the attack. This is another bowling change I cannot agree with. Scotland are beginning to accelerate and build a partnership, so England bring on the least threatening of their six bowlers? A lovely paddle sweep from Mommsen is the highlight of an over which yields eight for Scotland, and these two have now put on 57 for the third wicket.

Scotland are 114-3 and well in this chase at the halfway point. Mommsen has moved onto 26 off 41 after a slow start and if he and Coetzer can stay together, they have a fighting chance.

Half-way stage of Scotland's chase and Scotland move to 114 for 3 after 25 overs http://t.co/Ey5cbtwoUr #ENGvSCO pic.twitter.com/JfMLVwJUaA — ICC (@ICC) February 23, 2015

WICKET! PRESTON MOMMSEN caught BROAD bowled ROOT 26(42)

Thank me later England. The commentator's curse strikes Scotland, and Joe Root in fact, who picked up the wicket. Mommsen plays a premeditated sweep, but does not get to the pitch of the ball and a top edge flies straight to Broad at deep square-leg. That could be a big wicket in this match.

Richie Berrington is the new man. He made a half-century against New Zealand and starts off here with a couple of quick singles. England will feel that they burgled that wicket somewhat.

WICKET! KYLE COETZER caught WOAKES bowled MOEEN 71(84)

Disaster for Scotland as they lose their second set batsman in as many overs. Coetzer had played brilliantly for his 71, but unwisely looked to hit over the top so soon after seeing his partner hole out. He is trying to flick it square, but gets a leading edge and Woakes takes a simple catch at long-on.

Two quick wickets and now the complexion of this game has completely changed. Scotland had a shout at 114-3, but now England should really see a first World Cup win home from here.

Root continues and Scotland nudge four singles off the over. Wicketkeeper Matthew Cross is the new man, by the way. Get Anderson and Finn back and get this over with I say.

WICKET! RICHIE BERRINGON caught MORGAN bowled MOEEN 8(13)

No need for Anderson or Finn, the spinners are doing the job. This is a soft dismissal, with Berrington coming down the track and flicking a full toss toward mid-wicket, where Morgan takes another decent catch. Moeen has now chipped in with a couple of wickets to go along with his hundred.

The man who took four wickets for Scotland, Josh Davey, arrives at the crease with his side in big trouble. They have lost three wickets for 14 runs. Davey gets off the mark with a single.

Three singles off another Root over. Another team would be going for the kill here, think McCullum bringing Tim Southee back against England. Net run-rate is going to be important when it comes to qualification from Pool A and therefore the bigger margin of victory the better.

Untroubled, Cross and Davey knock around four singles off Moeen's eighth over.

That should be the end of Root now, who has done a good job with 1-27 off 5. His latest over goes for eight, with Anderson making up good ground from long-off to prevent Cross from picking up four with an extra cover drive. I doubt he would be as comfortable if Jimmy were doing the bowling.

At the other end, Moeen appears as if he is going to bowl straight through. A century opening up, and 10 overs with the ball, he really is becoming a key figure in this England outfit.

WICKET! JOSH DAVEY caught BUTTLER bowled FINN

Finn does now return to the attack and is back with a bang as Davey feathers one through to Buttler. He was neither forward or back and may have just been beaten for pace at 140kmph.

Not a great finish from Moeen as he gifts Cross four by dragging one down the leg side. He ends with figures of 10-0-47-2. Haq, Scotland's super loopy off-spinner, is the new man.

As England did, Scotland begin the batting power play with a maiden as Finn dots up Haq. I would bet all the money in my pockets that is the first time that has happened twice in an ODI.

Cross is playing with confidence and punches the returning Broad for two into the off-side off the back foot. Broad digs it in even shorter and is aghast when the square-leg umpire calls a wide. The ultimate bowler's bowler, Broad. Cross pulls out to the fielder in the deep to keep the strike.

WICKET! MATTHEW CROSS caught ROOT bowled FINN 23(32)

Finn has a third as Cross glances the ball off the face straight into the hands of Root at slip. He made a late decision to leave a short-pitch ball, but could not get his bat out of the way in time.

This will be a really encouraging spell for Finn and England. He goes past Alasdair Evans's outside edge on a couple of occasions and will have a five-for in his sights with two overs left.

Broad persuades Morgan into wasting England's review on an lbw shout against Haq, which always seemed to be high and going down. Hawk-eye suggests that it was clipping the top of leg and so umpire's call stands. A leg-bye is the final outcome and two singles make it three off the over.

Stuart Broad in wasting review shock. #CWC15 #EngvScot

— Thomas Frost (@Frosty_Potter89) February 23, 2015

Haq decides that it is time for a bit of fun. After getting away with an inside edge just past his stumps, he launches Finn over the top and then slashes him over point for another four.

Woakes is thrown the ball in England's search for the final two wickets and has Evans in trouble with a bouncer which he tried to duck out of the way of and somehow deflected to the fine-leg boundary. A wild swing catches the outside edge and travels over third man to the fence.

WICKET! ALASDAIR EVANS caught BUTTLER bowled ANDERSON 9(15)

Anderson gets among the wickets as he gets one to just drift away slightly and catch the edge of Evans. Buttler dives forward to take his fourth catch of the innings behind the stumps.

WICKET! MAJID HAQ caught BALLANCE bowled WOAKES 15(24)

England wrap up a crucial victory as Haq skies a hook off Woakes to Gary Ballance at long leg.

ENGLAND 303-8 (MOEEN ALI 128, IAN BELL 54, EOIN MORGAN 46, JOSH DAVEY 4-68) beat SCOTLAND 184 all out (KYLE COETZER 71, STEVEN FINN 3-26) by 119 runs.

A desperately-needed victory for England as they finally kickstart their World Cup campaign after their two dismal defeats to begin the tournament. The result was all that mattered in Christchurch, but there were elements of the performance to go with it as well, with Moeen's stylish 128 a particular highlight.

The result lifts England off the bottom of Pool A and Scotland replace them at the foot of the table. It was a decent recovery from the minnows after they allowed their opponents to reach 172-0, and if the excellent Coetzer had some more support at the top of the order, they may have made a better fight of it.

A bigger test of England's quarter-final credentials comes in their next game as they face Sri Lanka back in Wellington next Saturday. Scotland are back in action when they play Afghanistan in Dunedin on Wednesday - arguably their best chance of a first ever victory at a World Cup finals.

That's it from me. Thanks for joining Sports Mole through the early hours of this morning. We will have more Cricket World Cup coverage throughout next week. Until then...