England vs Netherlands Highlights, Cricket World Cup 2023: Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali Shine As England Beat Netherlands By 160 Runs

We are back for the second essay. Some last words being spoken by Jos Buttler in the England huddle before they spread out to take their respective field positions. It will be Wesley Barresi and Max O'Dowd to open the innings for Netherlands. Chris Woakes has the new ball in hand and he is raring to go. Two slips in place. Let's play...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Right then, England will be the happier of the two sides at the halfway mark. They have the momentum with them and will be hoping to translate it into their bowling effort. On the other hand, the Netherlands have a mountain to climb and it will take a collective effort to gun down this total. Join us in a bit to see how the chase unfolds.

Dawid Malan is in for a chat. He says that he got lucky with a few half-volleys early on which he put away and that got him going. Praises Ben Stokes for his exceptional innings and says they are happy with the total. Tells that Stokes soaks up pressure incredibly well and to do this consistently for a long period is special. Says that they would have taken 340 before the start of the game and it should be enough runs to bowl their opponents and get a good win.

Despite the favourable overcast conditions on offer, the Netherlands were not able to start well with the ball. Aryan Dutt was guilty of bowling it too short while Logan van Beek offered half-volleys which allowed Dawid Malan in particular to get his eye in. Dutt soon adjusted his lines and lengths and got rid of Jonny Bairstow. In the middle phase, van Beek was rewarded for his persistence as he went through the defence of Joe Root. This breakthrough opened the floodgates for the Netherlands as they kept striking at regular intervals. Things would have been very different had Aryan Dutt managed to hang on to the catch of Ben Stokes when he was on 42. Despite having England on the ropes at one stage, the Dutch bowlers let it slip during the final ten overs and just were not able to nail good deliveries at the death. Bas de Leede was the pick of the bowlers for the Netherlands with 3 wickets to his name. Aryan Dutt and Logan van Beek accounted for two wickets each while Paul van Meekeren struck once.

After Jos Buttler opted to bat first and put runs on the board, England were off to a blazing start. Dawid Malan produced an exhibition of driving and got himself going with a flurry of boundaries. He registered his fastest ODI fifty off just 36 balls while Joe Root employed a watchful approach and was happy to play the second fiddle. Root's favourite scoop shot led to his downfall before a mixup resulted in Malan being run out. Due to the departure of both set batters, England began to lose their way to be reduced to 192-6 from 133-1. Ben Stokes was unperturbed by the fall of wickets at the other end and he got together with Chris Woakes to forge a solid recovery. Stokes soaked up the pressure before accelerating just at the right time on his way to his maiden World Cup hundred. It rubbed off on Woakes who also played his part and notched up a fifty. Thanks to the 129-run stand, England find themselves in a commanding position.

A couple of runs to end the innings then! Logan van Beek lands this on a hard length and around off, Gus Atkinson swats it wide of long off and turns back for the second run, the fielder throws it at the keeper's end on the bounce where Scott Edwards collects and breaks the stumps. However, the replay shows that Atkinson has dragged his bat in time. England finish on 339/9!

Take a bow, Ben Stokes! Time and time and time again, he has stepped up and delivered for England. If it was Glenn Maxwell last night in Mumbai for Australia, it has been Ben Stokes here in Pune who has batted on one leg to bail England out of trouble. As for the Netherlands, bowling in the last ten overs continues to be their Achilles heel. In their earlier game against Australia, they conceded 131 runs in that phase with Glenn Maxwell going berserk and here against England, they have given away 124 runs.

Full again and way outside off too, Gus Atkinson once again offers no shot at it. It is called a wide again.

Goes fuller but way outside off, Gus Atkinson leaves it alone. Wided.

Back of a length and around off, Adil Rashid slaps it towards long off for one.

Adil Rashid is the last man in.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! A fantastic innings from Stokes finally comes to an end! Logan van Beek pitches this one up and around off, slower again, Ben Stokes has to reach for it as he tries to slog it away but his bottom hand comes off and he goes through his shot early as well. As a result, he slices it up in the air towards long off where Sybrand Engelbrecht once again settles under it and takes a comfortable catch. Stokes walk back to a standing ovation from the crowd and his team as well.

A slower bouncer now, on middle, Ben Stokes ducks under it. He looks at the square leg umpire but no signal for a wide.

SIX! A gift for Stokes! Logan van Beek misses his yorker and serves a juicy full toss, on middle, Ben Stokes stands there and clubs it over the long on fence for a biggie.

Logan van Beek nails the yorker this time, outside off, Ben Stokes throws his bat at it but only manages to dig it out towards long off and denies the run.

Logan van Beek tries the wide yorker but bowls this way outsde off, Ben Stokes leaves it alone. Wided.

Gus Atkinson is the new man in. It will be Logan van Beek to bowl the final over. Also, Netherlands have been penalised for a slow over rate and therefore, they are now allowed only 4 fielders outside the 30-yard circle for the final over.

OUT! TAKEN! Bas de Leede gets another wicket! David Willey tries to go for another big one but loses his wicket in the process. This is fuller in length and on middle, David Willey looks to loft it over long on but fails to get under it and does not get the elevation as the ball goes high in the air towards long on where Sybrand Engelbrecht pouches it safely. England eight down now!

SIX! A poor delivery and rightly punished! This is short again and down the leg side, slower too, David Willey has all the time in the world and he swivels and hooks it way over the fine leg fence and into the second tier for a biggie.