England hit a world record one-day international score of 498-4 against the Netherlands in Amstelveen on Friday, with three men scoring centuries in the run blitz.
Eoin Morgan’s side beat their own mark of 481-6 set against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2018, in the first match of the three-game series.
Jos Buttler, who finished on 162 not out, plun-dered his ton off just 47 balls — missing his own record for the fastest England century by just one ball — while Phil Salt and Dawid Malan also made three figures.
Liam Livingstone, batting at number six, made the fastest 50 in England’s ODI history off just 17 balls — the joint second-fastest of all-time.
The men in blue made their intentions clear early in their innings when Salt smacked Dutch right-arm medium pacer Shane Snater for six — the first in slugfest of 25 sixes and 36 fours to follow — in near-perfect batting conditions.
The Lancashire-based right-hander pulled a short ball over deep-midwicket, landing just over the ropes to the ongoing delight of cheering England fans, many of whom made the trip by car across the Channel for the game.
The England batters then scored freely with beautiful stroke-play and never looked troubled by the Dutch attack.
Salt suffered an early scare though in his innings, when the Netherlands — who surprisingly opted to field after winning the toss — dropped him on 40 in deep cover off the bowling of Bas de Leede.
England too suffered an early wicket hard-hitter Jason Roy inside-edged a pitching delivery from Snater, and had to walk for a single.
Together with a stylish Dawid Malan, Salt put on a partnership of 222 before being caught on 122, slicing at slower short ball by Van Beek.
Malan and Buttler then drove England with an even bigger partnership of 184 before Malan fell on 125 to a full delivery from Dutch skipper Pieter Seelaar, which Malan steered into the waiting hands of Bas de Leede at deep midwicket.
Malan looked trapped LBW on 25 off the bowl-ing of the Dutch skipper earlier in his innings, but he got a reprieve after an initial out decision was over-turned by the Third Umpire.
The Yorkshire left-hander smashed three sixes and nine fours, becoming only the third England player after Jos Buttler and Heather Knight to score a ton in all three formats of the game.—APP
