ESPNCRICINFO) – Ben Stokes’ maiden World Cup century dragged England from the brink of another ignominious display and ultimately to victory over Netherlands, keeping their Champions Trophy qualification hopes intact.

His 129-run stand for the seventh wicket with Chris Woakes lifted England from 192 for 6 to 339 for 9 in Pune, after they had lost five wickets for 59 runs in the space of 15 overs, and handed the 2019 champions just their second win of this edition with one game remaining.
England have become accustomed to watching Stokes produce definitive performances for his side but, having travelled to India injured and only been available from their fourth match onwards, his influence could only spread so far. After innings of 5, 43, 0 and 64, his 108 against Netherlands came too late, England’s chances of reaching the semi-finals long gone and their pride poleaxed, although it did help their bid to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy. With the top eight sides going through, the 160-run win with 12. 4 overs to spare pulled England off the foot of the table, their net run rate rising from a dire -1.504 to -0.885 and putting them ahead of Bangladesh into seventh place.
England had started well, winning the toss and easing to 39 without loss off the first four overs. But then the scoring dried up and Jonny Bairstow departed for just 15, top-edging an Aryun Dutt delivery high into the air for short backward square to pocket.

Nevertheless, England were 70 for 1 after 10 overs, their highest powerplay score of the tournament with Dawid Malan looking the business, as he has done in isolation from his team-mates at this tournament. He sped to a half-century off just 36 balls, took to Roelof van der Merwe by clubbing sixes over square leg and 79m over midwicket. But he was run out 13 shy of his ton chancing the arm of Logan van Beek at cover point (and ultimately some slick glovework by Scott Edwards) before being sent back by Stokes and finding himself millimetres short of his ground.

Joe Root had already fallen, continuing his poor run with the bat in ugly fashion, nutmegged while attempting a reverse scoop off van Beek, and so followed a steady procession of wickets that has become all too familiar in this side’s hapless title defence.

Harry Brook, called up for an out-of-touch Liam Livingstone, perished cheaply, caught by Colin Ackermann running in from deep square leg off Bas de Leede; Jos Buttler’s batting woes deepened when he spooned Paul van Meekeren straight to mid-off, throwing his head back and flipping his bat in the air as he failed to hide the frustrations of a tournament that has yielded him just 111 runs at an average of 13.87; and Moeen Ali went just as tamely holing out to de Leede at long-off to give Dutt his second wicket.