Amstelveen :Ā England smashed the world record to register the highest-ever ODI total of 498/4 before bowling the Netherlands out for 266 to register a 232-run thrashing in the first ODI in Amstelveen.
England had previously held the record, having smashed 481 for six against Australia. The Three Lions now have the top-three highest scores in One-Day Internationals. Jos Buttler starred with a brilliant 162 off just 70 balls, while Dawid Malan and Phil Salt also scored their maiden ODI tons. Liam Livingstone then added some fireworks to England’s innings, smashing the joint second-fastest fifty in ODI, off just 17 balls.
Max O’Dowd and Scott Edwards then hit half-centuries for Netherlands, but it was always going to be a matter of reducing the margin of defeat for the hosts after England’s batting performance. Moeen Ali took three wickets, while David Willey, Reece Topley and Sam Curran scalped two apiece. Dawid Malan added to his century with the final wicket of the match.
Jos Buttler, Player of the Match, said, ‘Certainly feels like the form of my life, the IPL was brilliant, absolutely loved it and came back here. The T20 WC went well, the Ashes was tough but no cricket for two months was refreshing. Good start for him, this environment has been solid for a few years, we have a clear cut style of play, he dosenāt want to change much, just wants to sit back and enjoy. Morgs is running the ship well. Great to see Sam Curran back in an England shirt. Trying to work out the conditions and backing my six hitting, thatās why fewer scoops’.
Eoin Morgan, said, ‘The last couple of days have been great. Feels good to be among this group. To post a big score like that and then Jos coming in at the end and he is a world of his own, it is absolutely amazing – probably the reason why he is the best white-ball cricketer in the world. When the guys come in and play with the mantra we have been playing for the last 6 years, it’s great. We have not played a lot of 50-over cricket recently, it’s important to have such situations going into the World Cup in India next year.’