The defending champions, England, finally got a World Cup victory after a prolonged period. Their first victory in 28 days came thanks to their hero of the last edition’s final match – Ben Stokes. The bowlers, especially the spinners, were magnificent and picked regular wickets to steer England towards an easy victory. The Netherlands could not finish with a win, but they should be pleased with their World Cup campaign, which yielded the same amount of victories as the current champions. 

Team Lineups

England had a nightmarish World Cup with a whole lot of alterations to their squad. They made a couple of changes to the team that was humbled by the Australians in the last outing. After several horror shows with the bat, Liam Livingstone was axed from the team. Harry Brook came in his place. Mark Wood bowled with a lot of pace but little direction. He dropped to the bench to accommodate young pacer Gus Atkinson. 

The Netherlands batted well at stretches but failed to put on a good total due to their disastrous running between the wickets. Teja Nidamanuru came into the team to strengthen the batting lineup. Saqib Zulfiqar was left out of the team. 

England

1. Jonny Bairstow 2. Dawid Malan 3. Joe Root 4. Ben Stokes 5. Harry Brook 6. Jos Buttler (Cap.) (WK) 7. Moeen Ali 8. Chris Woakes 9. David Willey 10. Gus Atkinson 11. Adil Rashid

Netherlands 

1. Wesley Barresi 2. Max O’Dowd 3. Colin Ackermann 4. Sybrand Engelbrecht 5. Scott Edwards (Cap.) (WK) 6. Bas de Leede 7. Teja Nidamanuru 8. Logan van Beek 9. Roelof van der Merwe 10. Aryan Dutt 11. Paul van Meekeren

English skipper Jos Buttler won the toss and decided to have a bat first on a dry pitch in Pune. The MCA stadium has always favoured the batters, with the average first innings being 300. The second innings average is 264. There have been ten games played on the ground so far; the teams batting first and second have equalled 5 wins each. 

Fixture

Captaincy & Tactics

Ben Stokes showcased his match-winning abilities with a breathtaking century, salvaging England from a precarious position and leading them to a crucial victory. The triumph not only kept their hopes alive for qualifying for the Champions Trophy but also rejuvenated their spirits after a disappointing campaign. Stokes’ heroics, supported by Chris Woakes’ valiant contribution, revived England’s innings from 192 for 6 to a commanding total of 339 for 9 in Pune.

England’s innings got off to a promising start as they cruised to 39 without loss in the initial four overs after winning the toss. However, their momentum faltered when Jonny Bairstow departed for a mere 15 runs, offering a simple catch to short backward square. Despite the setback, England reached a respectable score of 70 for 1 at the end of the powerplay, largely due to the impressive batting display by Dawid Malan. Malan, who had been consistent throughout the tournament, raced to a half-century off just 36 balls, smashing sixes with authority over square leg and midwicket.

Unfortunately, Malan fell agonisingly close to a century while attempting a risky run, leaving England bereft of a potentially dominant innings. Joe Root, enduring a lean patch, also departed in an unconvincing manner, attempting a reverse scoop shot. Subsequently, England experienced a series of dismissals that have plagued their campaign, with Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, and Moeen Ali all failing to make a substantial impact.

However, Stokes defied the odds and mounted a remarkable comeback. Initially dropped on 41 by Aryun Dutt, he went on to bring up his fifty in style, hammering a six over deep midwicket. Stokes capitalised on a costly 24-run over from Dutt, showcasing his power-hitting skills with boundaries and maximums. An unsuccessful review for lbw further fueled his innings, intensifying the pressure on the Netherlands.

Batting Analysis

Stokes‘ partnership with Woakes proved to be instrumental in England’s recovery, as they forged a remarkable 129-run stand for the seventh wicket. Woakes complemented Stokes beautifully, providing crucial support to the explosive strokeplay of his teammate. Together, they propelled England to a formidable total, boosting their net run rate and propelling them off the bottom of the table. They were both attacking the Dutch bowlers with at least 8-9 runs per over. Stokes was magnificent through the offside, scoring 64% of his runs down that side.

Although England’s chances of progressing to the semi-finals were slim at this stage, Stokes’ century served as a timely reminder of his immense talent and resilience. Despite joining the tournament late due to injury, his presence had a profound impact on the team’s overall performance. The victory against the Netherlands not only salvaged pride but also bolstered England’s aspirations of qualifying for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

As the tournament approaches its climax, England will draw inspiration from Stokes’ heroic innings, hoping to finish on a high note. This win was much needed because the win against Bangladesh was their only one in the tournament before this match. Time will tell if this remarkable comeback will be a turning point for their beleaguered campaign. With their sights set on future accomplishments, England aims to rebuild and emerge even stronger in forthcoming competitions.

The Dutch batting never looked to threaten the huge target. Teja Nidamanuru and Scott Edwards built a moderate partnership that gave the scorecard a respectable look. Wesley Barresi played a rather safe innings that was not able to lift up the run rate. The weakness against spin bowling was evident, with both of the England front-line spinners claiming 3 wickets each.

Bowling Analysis

The Netherlands, facing an uphill battle, faltered under the pressure, ultimately succumbing to a heavy defeat.

As the innings progressed, the Netherlands struggled to contain England’s aggressive approach. Wayward bowling plagued the Dutch side, with Max O’Dowd and Colin Ackermann falling early to the impressive duo of Woakes and David Willey. Within the first six overs, the Netherlands found themselves reeling at 13 for 2, facing an uphill battle.

Suffering from a sluggish start, the Netherlands’ hopes were further diminished during the powerplay, with their score languishing at 23 for 3 after ten overs. The normally reliable Wes Barresi struggled to find his rhythm, crawling to 11 runs off 38 balls. The Netherlands’ pursuit of the daunting target appeared increasingly bleak. They couldn’t assert their domination like they did against Bangladesh in the last game.

England, however, had their fair share of fielding lapses, injecting a glimmer of hope for the Netherlands. Barresi survived a series of chances, escaping unscathed despite being dropped and reprieved on multiple occasions. Sybrand Engelbrecht also received a reprieve when a catch appeal by Joe Root was inconclusive on whether the ball had touched the ground, frustrating the England captain.

Nonetheless, the Netherlands faced consistent setbacks as wickets tumbled at regular intervals. Barresi’s run-out finally ended his gritty innings of 37, halting his partnership with Engelbrecht at 55 runs. Soon after, Engelbrecht himself fell victim to David Willey’s sharp bowling, picking out Woakes at mid-on. The Netherlands’ hopes rested on their captain, Scott Edwards, but his dismissal for 38 by Moeen Ali dampened their chances further.

The final stages of the Netherlands’ innings witnessed a dramatic collapse, with their last five wickets falling for a mere 16 runs in just 21 balls. This dismal performance dealt a severe blow to their aspirations of securing a coveted Champions Trophy berth. Although mathematically still in contention, the Netherlands faced an uphill battle, with their final match against the undefeated hosts, India, and an inferior net run rate compared to their rivals.

England’s comprehensive victory not only revived their hopes of qualifying for the Champions Trophy but also displayed their dominance and resilience on the field. Stokes and Woakes spearheaded the batting assault, propelling England’s run tally well beyond the 300-run mark. The result showcased England’s determination to bounce back from a disappointing campaign and signalled their intent to finish on a high note.

As the tournament nears its climax, the battle for the top spots intensifies. England’s emphatic win serves as a reminder of their capabilities and reinforces their status as formidable contenders in the international cricket arena. With their sights set on future tournaments, England aims to build upon this triumph and continue their pursuit of cricketing excellence. This might not be their year, but surely, the English will come back strongly with a lot of changes in terms of personnel.

Fielding Analysis

The England team was fantastic in terms of ground fielding and catches. Dawid Malan took two catches to dismiss Edwards and then van Beek. Chris Woakes has had a reputation for being an incredible athlete. Woakes timed his jump perfectly to catch Sybrand Engelbrecht out. He also provided a pinpoint throw to assist Moeen Ali, who ran Scott Edwards out. Overall, their performance backed the bowlers up perfectly. 

The Netherlands also put in a fine shift in their fielding. Logan van Beek produced a moment of brilliance when he ran Dawid Malan out. Bas de Leede pouched Moeen Ali safely to give his team a much-needed breakthrough. But England were out of reach after the first fifty overs with a mammoth total posted on the board. 

Key Performances

Ben Stokes was back at his scintillating best with a spectacular display of white-ball batting. He finished his innings with 108 runs off 84 balls. Stokes found a perfect partner in Chris Woakes, who scored a quickfire 51 runs off 45 balls. Dawid Malan helped England get off to a fantastic start with an innings of 87 runs. All the Netherlands bowlers were expensive, and Bas de Leede was the pick of them with 3 wickets for 74 runs. Aryan Dutt claimed a couple of wickets for 67 runs. Logan van Beek was targeted by the English batters, especially during the death overs. He finished his ten-over spell by conceding 88 and picking up 2 wickets. 

Teja Nidamanuru ran out of partners in the end. Nonetheless, he played an entertaining knock of 41 runs off 34 balls. Skipper Scott Edwards added 38 runs to the scoreboard. Veteran Wesley Barresi was slow getting out of the blocks, and he scored 37 off 62 balls. It was a fantastic bowling performance by the Englishmen. Moeen Ali claimed three wickets for 42 runs. Adil Rashid also claimed a trio of scalps by conceding 54. David Willey got plenty of movement early on; he got 2 wickets for just 19 runs from his 7-over spell. 

Turning Point

Moeen Ali was dismissed by Bas de Leede for just 4 runs. The sixth wicket fell with the England team score at 192. Ben Stokes was there, but he was quickly running out of partners. England looked to be on their way to 300, but the dismissal of the last recognised batsman was hurting their chances. In came Chris Woakes as the number 8 batsman. The Birmingham native, who has one test century to his name, can bat, but he had a difficult task of getting England out of trouble. 

The sixth wicket partnership changed the whole complexion of the game. With the presence of Woakes at the other end, Stokes was able to unleash his destructive self. Woakes was not to be left behind, though; he scored 6 boundaries in his innings of 51. The stand added 129 runs off just 13.2 overs. Chris Woakes was finally dismissed by Bas de Leede, with the team total at 321 after 48.4 overs.

Match Result

England recorded the second victory of their World Cup campaign with a comprehensive victory over the Netherlands by 160 runs. 

Player of the Match

Ben Stokes won the Best Player of the Match award for his 5th ODI century, which enabled his side to post a huge total. 

Brief Scorecard

Match Highlights

Match Wrap-Up

English fans finally had something to cheer about in an abysmal World Cup campaign. Ben Stokes might be retiring again from the 50-over game. However, he made sure to bowl out on a high. The English campaign will end on Saturday when they meet Pakistan, who are still looking for a semi-final place. Conversely, the Netherlands might have lost this game, but their journey has been a memorable one, with two victories against South Africa and Bangladesh. Their last assignment takes them to Bengaluru, where they will meet an in-form Indian side. 

More Match Highlights of Netherlands in CWC 2023

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