ENG vs NED Review: Ben Stokes leads England to their second win
In the 40th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, England won the toss and chose to set a target by batting first. Dawid Malan kickstarted England’s innings with a fantastic display, amassing 87 runs off 74 deliveries, only to be dismissed due to a run-out.
England began strongly, reaching 133/1 after 20 overs, displaying a position of power. However, their all-too-familiar vulnerability crept in, and they lost five crucial wickets for just 59 runs. In this dire moment, it was none other than Ben Stokes who stepped up to rescue the team.
Netherlands, tasked with chasing a challenging target of 340 runs, struggled to establish their presence in the game. They suffered setbacks at regular intervals throughout their innings. Max O’Dowd’s early struggles continued to haunt them, resulting in a rocky start. Eventually, they were bundled out for a mere 179 runs.
Although Scott Edwards and Teja Nidamunuru steadied the ship momentarily, they couldn’t fully capitalize on the foundation laid. In the end, England emerged victorious, their smiles reflecting their well-earned triumph.
Top Performers of the Match
Ben Stokes (108 off 84)
In a typical scenario of England facing adversity, their batting lineup crumbled on a wicket conducive to runs. However, in his characteristic fashion, Ben Stokes emerged as the saviour, crafting his inaugural World Cup century. Stokes combined forces with Chris Woakes, forming a dynamic partnership of 129 runs for the seventh wicket.
Chris Woakes (3/42, 8.2 overs)
Moeen Ali stood out as the star performer among the bowlers, scalping three crucial wickets while maintaining an impressive economy rate of just 42 runs. It’s worth noting that the pitch did not offer much assistance to the bowlers. Moeen’s victims included the in-form Scott Edwards, Paul Vee Meekeren, and Van der Merwe, significantly impacting the course of the game.
What next?
Going ahead, England will play against Pakistan on November 11, while Netherlands will take on India on November 12.
