Jos Buttler's incredible 162 saw England smash their own highest score in a one-day international with a mammoth 498-4 as they thrashed the Netherlands by 232 runs.
In a particularly eye-catching start to Matthew Mott's tenure as their new white-ball coach, Buttler pummelled 14 sixes and seven fours as the feel-good factor from England's Test side spilled over to continental Europe on a day of team and individual milestones.
Dawid Malan (125) and Phil Salt (122) also both made maiden ODI centuries, off 90 and 82 balls respectively, as the Netherlands bowlers were smashed to all parts of the ground before England dismissed them for 266.
England's total eclipsed the 481-6 they made against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2018, and surpassed the List A record of 496-4, scored by Surrey in 2007.
A total of 26 sixes rained down on the uncovered stands in Amstelveen, and fans assisted the Dutch players in searching for the ball every time it disappeared into the forest which surrounds the ground.
Not all of them were found, with nine balls, at a cost to the Dutch federation of 130 euros a go, left unaccounted for during Buttler's brutal assault.
Fittingly Buttler hit the runs for England to reach the record ODI total, with a six launched over deep mid-wicket off Shane Snater on a miserable day for the Dutch bowlers, with leg-spinner Philippe Boissevain's 10 wicketless overs costing 108 runs.
Liam Livingstone's cameo at the end of the innings was just two balls short of the fastest ODI half-century as he blasted his fifty off just 17 balls, finishing with 66 off 22 balls.
"Boring, boring England" sang the travelling fans in jest as Livingstone managed only a four off the penultimate ball of their innings which meant the tourists missed out on 500, but they were soon cheering again when he dispatched the last one for yet another six.
The Netherlands' response was decidedly more low key as wicketkeeper Scott Edwards made a defiant unbeaten 72 while Moeen Ali finished the pick of the attack with 3-57.
- Timothy Abraham, bbc.com
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Grace A Comment!