NAGPUR: Andrew Strauss led from the front as the English chased down the challenging target of 293 to win against the Netherlands in a Group A match of the ICC Cricket World Cup match here at the Vidarbha Cricket Associaton Ground.
England opened with Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Strauss, who put on 105. KP was uncharacteristically subdued before falling to his usual bugbear of left arm spin, scoring 39 off 61 balls as he was caught by Peter Borren off Pieter Seelar.
Strauss looked on course foe a century before pulling Mudassar Bukhari into the hands of Tom Cooper in the deep, who held a very good catch. Strauss made 88 off 83 balls and put on a further 61 runs with the dour, but dependable Jonathan Trott.
Ian Bell and Trott added a further 58 before the latter was stumped brilliantly by Wesley Barresi off a Ryan ten Doeschate wide down the leg side.
Ten Doeschate also accounted for Ian Bell as the right hander was bowled off the last ball of the former's spell for 33.
Ryan ten Doeschate's spell of 2 for 47 off 10 overs rounded off a wonderful day for the Dutch all rounder and left England with 52 to win off 7 overs at the stage.
Ravi Bopara joined Paul Collingwood just when things looked to be getting tighter for England. The two however, added 55 runs off 34 balls to see out the target with 8 balls remaining. Collingwood remained not out on 30 off 23 balls and Bopara, who hit two fours and a six off Bernard Loots in the 49th over, was not out on 30 off 20 balls.
Earlier, Ryan ten Doeschate struck a blistering 119 off 110 balls as the Netherlands set a stiff 293-run target for England.
Electing to bat on a placid track, the Netherlands piled on their highest total against a full-member nation and bettered their 230 against England at the 1996 World Cup.
The England bowling looked clueless and their sloppy fielding did not help their cause either. Graeme Swann was the best bowler for England with his two wickets for 35.
Alexie Kervezee (16) and wicket-keeper Wesley Barresi (29) gave the Netherlands a breezy start in their 36-run opening stand but the day belonged to Doeschate, who came in the 12th over.
Doeschate controlled the Netherlands innings and batted till the 49th over. He was involved in three crucial partnerships - of 78 runs with Tom Cooper (47) for the third wicket, and later with Tom de Grooth (28) and skipper Peter Borren for the fifth (64) and sixth (50) wickets.
Doeschate's was given a life at 47. A loft off Swann landed in a no-man's land behind the bowler with James Anderson and Pietersen standing frozen as the ball fell in between them.
Doeschate's spirited knock was brought to an end by Stuart Broad when he was caught by Ravi Bopara at the square leg boundary. Doeschate's knock included nine fours and three sixes.
Borren and Mudassar Bukhari (6) added unbeaten 18 runs for seventh wicket. In a dramatic final over, Borren was lucky to survive when Paul Collingwood at midwicket failed to take his required position inside the fielding circle. A no-ball was signalled, Borren was recalled and then Swann dropped a sitter at third man to give Bukhari a life.
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