World Cup: Ben Stokes, Dawid Malan and Chris Woakes shine in 160-run win over Dutch, keep CT qualification hopes alive

PUNE: Finally, some relief for England. The Jos Buttler-led side broke a streak of five consecutive losses, their most in a World Cup, beating the Netherlands by 160 runs in their World Cup match at the MCA Stadium in Gahunje on Wednesday. This was England’s only second win in the tournament after they beat Bangladesh by 137 runs in their second league match last month.

Dropped at 41, Ben Stokes scored his first ton of the tournament to save England from what looked like another batting collapse. With a seventh-wicket stand of 129 runs, Stokes’ 108 (84 balls (6x4s, 6x6s) with Chris Woakes’ 51 took England to a huge 339-9 in 50 overs. Opener Dawid Malan earlier had stabilized England’s batting with 87 off 74 balls.

England bowlers did a decent job in restricting the Dutch to 179 in 37.2 overs to help the team register a much-need win in the tournament.

Middle-order batter Teja Nidamanuru (41*) was the top-scorer for the Netherlands, while opener Wesley Barresi (37), skipper Scott Edwards (38) and righthanded batter Sybrand Engelbrecht (33) were the other contributors.

The 2019 Champion England, who are out of semifinals contention, were playing to stay alive in the qualification race for the Champions Trophy 2025. With this victory, they took a step forward. England will now have to beat Pakistan in their last match to finish in top-8 of the table and book a Champions Trophy berth. Winning the toss and batting first on the Pune wicket wasn’t a difficult choice for Buttler to make. However, Malan lost his partner Jonny Bairstow (15) just when England looked like a side determined to win the match.

Bairstow’s half-hearted sweep found a taker in Van Meekeren at short backward-leg off offie Aryan Dutt. Malan and Joe Root then brought England back in control with an 85-run partnership. Although the Netherlands bowlers were not sharp, rather sloppy at times, a straight good-length delivery by rightarm pacer Logan van Beek was the highlight of the innings.

Root, trying to hit a reverse scoop to a straight ball that lacked bounce, missed the ball, and all he could do was make an unsuccessful attempt to close the gap between his legs, before the ball hit the middle stump.

England were 133-2, only to go to 138-3 courtesy another ‘unforced error’ they committed. A mix-up while stealing a run in the 22nd over found Malan an inch short of the crease before the bails were broken by Dutch skipper and wicketkeeper Scott Edwards.

Later, Stokes hung on despite watching Brook, Buttler and Moeen Ali depart. Stokes got a lifeline when he was dropped by Aryan Dutt in the deep off Beek.

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