England Crush Holland in Opener

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England cruised to a comfortable six-wicket win over Holland to get their World Cup belatedly under way.

Having sacrificed the four points on offer against Zimbabwe in Harare, Nasser Hussain's side needed a convincing victory and despite a lack of killer instinct at the back end of the Dutch innings they achieved it.

Nick Knight continued his fine winter form alongside Ashes hero Michael Vaughan as England reached their 143 target with more than 26 overs to spare.

Vaughan reached his half-century from 43 deliveries, including eight boundaries, before he edged Daan van Bunge's leg-spin to slip.

Warwickshire left-hander Knight profited from his unorthodox reverse sweeps in particular, three of the eight fours in his 51 coming in that manner from one Adeel Raja over.

But he also succumbed to van Bunge, like Andrew Flintoff - sent in at number four to boost the run rate - hitting a long hop to midwicket.

He shared 89 for the second wicket with Vaughan, however, after Marcus Trescothick had his off-stump knocked back attempting to hit over the top in the fifth over of the reply.

Earlier, James Anderson made a stunning World Cup debut by claiming career-best international figures. The Lancashire paceman claimed four for 25 in an impressive 10-over spell at the top of the Dutch innings - the best England return in a World Cup for 20 years.

After Hussain chose to field first against the World Cup minnows on a hot, cloudless day at Buffalo Park, Anderson began to chip away, breaking through in the sixth over.

Extra bounce did for van Bunge, who sliced to Craig White at gully. Opening partner, Luuk van Troost, followed leg before to a full-pitched in-swinger and two more wickets in Anderson's eighth over took him past his previous one-day international best of two for 23 against Sri Lanka in Perth.

Sussex's Bas Zuiderent mistimed a drive to mid-off and two balls later Klaas van Noortwijk gloved a catch to Alec Stewart down the leg side.

But from 31 for five in the 17th over, Tim de Leede led a mini-recovery, hitting the ball powerfully into gaps and taking particular toll on Ian Blackwell's left-arm spin.

A couple of middle order wickets for White left Holland 112 for nine but de Leede found staunch support from last man Jeroen Smits to bring up his half-century from 73 deliveries, including five boundaries.

Smits drove both Andrew Caddick and Flintoff for cover boundaries, in fact, as the duo added an undefeated 30 for the final wicket.