England’s cricketers have broken their own world record for the highest score in a one-day international in a run fest in the Netherlands.
Put in to bat after losing the toss, the tourists scored 498-4 in 50 overs, with centuries from Phil Salt, Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler in the first of three ODIs in the series.
Liam Livingstone hit 66 from 22 balls in Amstelveen, as England topped the 481-6 they piled on against Australia at Trent Bridge in 2018.
Eoin Morgan’s side just fell shorting of becoming the first team in history to score 500 in an ODI.
Buttler hit a century in just 47 balls, the second fasted 100 for England.
His knock of 162 not out contained 14 of the team’s 26 sixes.
He now has the three quickest ODI centuries for the national team – off 46 balls, 47 balls and 50 balls.
Shane Warne: Family offered state funeral after sudden death of cricket legend
Cricket: ECB investigates after police break up post-Ashes drinks session at team hotel and tell England and Australia players it is ‘time for bed’
Year In Review – COVID, violence against women and sport
Salt, who opened the batting with Jason Roy, scored his maiden century with 122 off 93 balls while Malan hit 125 off 109 balls.
The Netherlands – playing an ODI against England for the first time outside a Cricket World Cup – had only a few moments to savour amid a barrage of big-hitting from the tourists, which led to a number of balls being lost outside the stadium.
Shane Snater bowled out his cousin, Jason Roy, for one run and Pieter Seelaar took two wickets off successive balls – including captain Eoin Morgan for a golden duck.
England’s score was also a record for all List A cricket – beating Surrey’s 496-4 against Gloucestershire in 2007.
The Netherlands side will have the formidable task of chasing down a record score, with notable absentees from their side.
The likes of Colin Ackermann, Fred Klaassen and Roelof van der Merwe are all missing as they are featuring in the T20 Blast for their counties this weekend.
