English white-ball cricket is remarkable; depth is impressive: Hussain

AMSTERDAM: After England blasted a mammoth, record-breaking 498, laced with 36 fours and 26 sixes, in the first ODI against the Netherlands, former skipper Nasser Hussain was left in awe of how the side's dominance in white-ball cricket is astonishing, especially in its depth of players.

Phil Salt, Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler struck centuries while Liam Livingstone smacked a 22-ball half-century to see England break their own record for highest total in ODI cricket, falling just two short of breaching the 500-run mark in the format. In reply, Netherlands were all out for 266 with Scott Edwards remaining unbeaten on 72.

"What we are continuing to see in English white-ball cricket is truly remarkable. It is the depth that is so impressive. England can be without people such as Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes and Joe Root and can still just smash their way past their own world 50-over record total. The hitting potential is extraordinary," wrote Hussain in his column for Daily Mail.

Hussain further claimed that England have the ammunition to touch 500 runs in an ODI innings in future. "The white-ball revolution clearly did not end with the 2019 World Cup. Rob Key might be prioritising Test cricket at the moment but that does not mean this England side have reached the end of their journey.

"They will carry on pushing the boundaries. A total beyond 500 either in the last two games in Amsterdam or later in the summer? Why not. England will not hold back, that's for certain. There is no stopping them."

In England's run-fest, Buttler was unarguably the star of the show, hammering 14 sixes and seven fours in his 70-ball knock of 162. He also added stands of 184 and 91 with Malan and Livingstone. Hussain believes that playing in Indian Premier League (IPL) has unearthed a more brutal version of Buttler with the bat.

"Jos Buttler was a freak anyway but add the IPL experience he has now and the fantastic campaign he has just enjoyed with Rajasthan and you are seeing a special talent in the form and belief of his life."

"A couple of Buttler's sixes on Friday were hit off balls that just missed yorker length but his bottom hand comes through at the last second and enables him to get underneath the ball and just hit it out of the ground. The bat speed, with the bottom hand coming through, is incredible and when he is batting like that he is impossible to bowl to." IANS

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