Nagpur: Openers, Wesley Barresi and AN Kervezee, gave the Dutch, who beat England at Lord's in the 2009 World T20, a fiery start in Nagpur on Tuesday.
The Dutch looked determined to become the first associate nation to pull off an upset at this year's World Cup.
Bartresi and Kervezee faced the English pace attack fearlessly and amassed 36 runs in 6.2 overs, before a faulty stroke selection tripped Kervezee and gave his wicket as a complementary gift to the struggling Tim Bresnan.
Earlier, the Netherlands captain Peter Borren won the toss and elected to bat against England in the teams' World Cup Group B opener at the VCA Ground on Tuesday.
England recalled star off-spinner Graeme Swann, who'd only recently joined the squad following the birth of his son, in place of left-arm spin bowler Michael Yardy in the only change to the side that beat Pakistan in a warm-up match last weeek.
England are looking to add a maiden World Cup title to the World Twenty20 trophy they won in the Caribbean last year.
Meanwhile the Dutch, who beat England at Lord's in the 2009 World Twenty20, were attempting to become the first associate nation to pull off an upset at this year's World Cup following heavy defeats for both Kenya and Canada.
England: Andrew Strauss (C), Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Ravi Bopara, Matt Prior, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson
Netherlands: Peter Borren (C), Alexei Kervezee, Wesley Barresi, Tom Cooper, Ryan ten Doeschate, Bas Zuiderent, Tom de Grooth, Mudassar Bukhari, Pieter Seelar, Bernard Loots, Berend Westdijk