England Defeat Netherlands By Six Wickets To Take An Unassailable Lead Of 2-0

Cricket Image for England Defeat Netherlands By Six Wickets To Take An Unassailable Lead Of 2-0 (Image Source: Google)

Opener Jason Roy and Phil Salt scored half-centuries to help England beat the Netherlands by six wickets with 29 balls remaining in the second one-day international here on Sunday. England took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

The Netherlands rode on a 73-ball 78 by their skipper Scott Edwards to post a below-par 238 for 7 in 41 overs in the weather-hit match.

But Jason Roy marked his 100th ODI with a fine 60-ball 73 while Phil Salt blasted a 54-ball 77 as England repelled a fight back from the Netherlands.

Roy was one of the few England batters to miss out in their world record 498/4 48 hours earlier but, in a contest reduced to 41 overs per side, he hit top form to hasten their pursuit of 236. England reached 239/4 in 36.1 overs to win the match easily.

Roy, who despatched his first nine balls to the boundaries, and Salt raised 139 runs for the opening wicket in 17 overs when Roy was out. Though England lost three more wickets in quick succession and were 177/4 in the 26th over, Dawid Malan and Moeen Ali figured in an unbeaten 62-run partnership to clinch victory for England. Malan remained not out with 36 runs while Moeen Ali remained unbeaten with 42.

Earlier, Scott Edwards held the Netherlands innings with a fine half-century. Bas de Leede (34), Teja Nidamanuru (28) and Logan van Beek (30 not out) got starts for the Netherlands but could not contribute big scores as they ended with a par score.

Brief scores: Netherlands 235/7 in 41 overs (Scott Edwards 78, Bas de Leede 34; David Willey 2/46, Adil Rashid 2/50) lost to England 239/4 in 36.1 overs (Jason Roy 73, Phil Salt 77, Moeen Ali 42 not out; Tom Cooper 1/25) by six wickets.