ODI World Cup 2023: Netherlands conceded 339 runs against England

England and the Netherlands play a pivotal match at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune with an eye towards the 2025 Champions Trophy. After winning the toss, England chose to bat first. Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson took Liam Livingstone and Mark Wood’s places as the 2019 champions. Conversely, Teja Nidamanuru took Saqib Zulfiqar’s spot on the Dutch team. England scored 339 runs. Here is a recap of the first innings.

England goes big in the powerplay

In the opening over, Aryan Dutt bowled and was hit for a four by Jonny Bairstow. In the second over, Dawid Malan hit three straight fours off of Logan van Beek. Malan didn’t stop there, hitting two straight fours off Dutt’s bowling in the third over and a further four in the fourth. In the sixth over, Bairstow was removed by Dutt. Bairstow smashed two fours and scored 15 runs off of 17 balls. In the eighth over, Malan hit three more fours off van Beek’s bowling. In just 36 balls, Malan reached his half-century in the ninth over. During the powerplay, England amassed 70 runs at the expense of one wicket.

England build on their start

Following the English hitters’ early onslaught, Paul van Meekeren and Bas de Leede bowled a few quiet overs. Van Meekeren and de Leede, both pacers, bowled five overs while only giving up 23 runs (10–14). Colin Ackerman and Roelof van der Merwe took the position of the two quick bowlers. In the sixteenth over, England had a hundred up. In the 17th over, Malan hit his first six of the game off van der Merwe’s bowling. Malan took van der Merwe’s next over for six more runs. Ackermann and Van der Merwe went after runs and gave up 33 runs in five overs. 

Netherlands take quick wickets

The 20th and 21st overs saw the return of Dutt and van Beek to the attack, respectively. Van Beek produced a fantastic comeback despite bowling a costly four-over period during the powerplay. In the 21st over, Joe Root was dismissed by Van Beek. Root hit just one four while scoring 28 runs in 35 balls. After that, Malan was substituted out. Malan scored 87 runs in 74 balls, hitting 10 fours and two sixes, almost reaching a century. In the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth overs, respectively, van Meekeren and de Leede returned to the offensive. In the 27th over, Harry Brook was dismissed by De Leede. Brook smashed two fours and scored 11 runs off of 16 balls. 

In the 31st over, van Meekeren came in to replace de Leede. He quickly made an impression by dismissing Jos Buttler, the English captain, on his return. Buttler was benched for yet another score in the single digits. Ben Stokes and Moeen Ali were unable to up the scoring rate against the Netherlands. In just four overs (32–35), Stokes and Ali managed to score a mere 11 runs. Ali attempted a lofted shot to boost the ante, but all he could manage was to find de Leede at long range. Dutt was dismissed for the second time in the game. 

England starts to attack Dutch bowlers

Chris Woakes struck three fours in two overs as he began to accelerate the pace of scoring. In 43 overs and 58 balls, Stokes reached his half-century with a six. After returning to bowl his final over in the 45th over, Stokes hammered three sixes and a four, clobbering Dutt for 24 runs in the over. Returning to the attack, Van Beek bowled an expensive over for 14 runs. The over had four wides, one of which went for a four down the leg side. Stokes scored his first century in the World Cup in the 48th over. Stokes scored his ton in 78 balls hitting six fours and five sixes. Woakes in the following over brought up his half-century by hitting de Leede for a six and a four. Woakes was dismissed on the following delivery by edging one behind to the keeper, Scott Edwards. Dawid Willey kicked off his innings with a six but was dismissed on the next ball. De Leede ended with figures of 10-0-74-3.