England beat the Netherlands by a whopping 232 runs in the first ODI at Amstelveen, having set a new world record for the highest ODI total in history thanks to hundreds from Jos Buttler, Dawid Malan and Phil Salt.
After losing the toss and being put into bat, England lost the early wicket of Jason Roy for just 1 when he was bowled by his cousin Shane Snater. However, that was one of very few highlights for the Dutch as England proceeded to utterly dominate proceedings.
First, Salt and Malan shared a 222-run partnership, with Salt scoring his first-ever hundred for England as he made 122 off 93 balls. Malan, meanwhile, notched 125 off 109 balls as he struck his first ODI hundred.
Despite their excellent knocks, Buttler was ultimately the star of the show as he made an unbeaten 162 off 70 balls in what was a truly scintillating innings. He closed out the innings in brutal fashion alongside Liam Livingstone, who blasted England's quickest ODI half-century off just 17 deliveries.
In response, the Netherlands made a respectable 266, with both Max O'Dowd and Scott Edwards passing fifty. O'Dowd made a run-a-ball 55, while Edwards scored a very impressive 72 off 56 balls.
Ultimately, it was the perfect start to Matthew Mott 's tenure as England white ball coach, with Moeen Ali taking 3-57 and Reece Topley, David Willey and Sam Curran all picking up two wickets.
Here are six talking points..
A family affair
In just the second over of England's innings, Roy was bowled through the gate by his cousin Shane Snater for just one. It was one of few highlights in the innings for the Dutch, but will certainly give Snater bragging rights over his relative.
Speaking about their relationship in 2020 after the pair faced off in the County Championship, Snater said: "I wouldn't say it's a family rivalry. It was the first time I'd played against him.
"He's always been someone I've looked up to, like boys do growing up. He's always the one who's done well in the family."
Dutch missing key stars
Due to the rescheduled series clashing with the ongoing Test series against New Zealand, England are without the likes of Joe Root, Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow. However, the Netherlands were also without several key players for this match due to clashes with their county commitments.
Although the Netherlands can force counties to release their players for international duty under ICC rules, it is a delicate balancing act with many players unwilling to risk sacrificing the financial security provided by their county contracts.
As a result, Kent seamer Fred Klaassen is unlikely to feature until the final ODI due to his T20 Blast commitments, while Leicestershire's Colin Ackermann, Somerset's Roelof van der Merwe, Glamorgan's Timm van der Gugten and Northamptonshire Brandon Glover were not named in the squad at all.
Salt takes his opportunity
Afforded the chance to open the innings alongside Roy due to Bairstow's involvement with the Test team, Salt made sure to grab his opportunity with both hands.
Having only previously played ODI cricket as part of the makeshift England side which beat Pakistan last year after a Covid outbreak sidelined the original squad, Salt's involvement against the Dutch was a golden opportunity to prove his worth to the new head coach.
And he made the most of it, scoring his first hundred for England as he struck 122 off 93 balls. A very similar player to Roy, he will be hoping to earn himself a spot in England's squad for next year's World Cup defence.
Malan joins elite club
Malan was the second England batter to score a hundred, with his 125 seeing him join an elite club. The 34-year-old is the 20th player to have scored international hundreds in all three formats and just the third England player.
England women's captain Heather Knight completed the feat back in 2020, before Buttler followed suit a year later. And Malan is now part of that elite club, having scored exactly one century in Test, ODI and T20I cricket.
Buttler the best in the world
Fresh from winning the Orange Cap at the IPL after striking four centuries, Buttler continued to show why he is the best white ball batter in the world with a stunning 162 off 70 balls.
Having been dropped twice in the 20s, Buttler struck the second fastest ODI hundred by an Englishman and the second fastest ODI 150 in history.
Speaking to the BBC, former England spinner Alex Hartley said: "An exhibition from Jos Buttler with a century so quick it's been like watching the TV highlights. He must be the most in-form limited overs batter in the world right now."
Livingstone's blistering cameo
In an innings that lasted just 22 deliveries, Livingstone blasted six fours and six sixes on his way to an unbeaten 66 at a strike rate of exactly 300. The 28-year-old is one of the most fearsome ball strikers in world cricket right now and simply underlined that with his blistering cameo at Amstelveen.
He reached his half-century off just 17 balls, making it the fastest by an Englishman in ODI cricket. The previous record, held by Buttler and Eoin Morgan, was 21 balls.
However, he did fall just short of scoring the fastest-ever ODI fifty, with that record held by De Villiers who managed it off 16 balls.
