Bopara and Wright make quick start

The duo, England's 12th opening partnership in just 16 Twenty20 internationals, had put on 102 when they were separated in the 12th over of a rain-delayed contest.

Their alliance surpassed one of 65 between Wright and Phil Mustard against New Zealand in Christchurch last year.

Having blasted the West Indies attack in a practice match on the same ground on Wednesday evening, the continuation of their form gave England a platform.

Without Kevin Pietersen, whose Achilles injury now appears worse than first diagnosed, England began a tournament robbed of its opening ceremony by the poor weather.

They did so 20 minutes late, after a brief addresses to the crowd from the Duke of Kent and David Morgan, the president of the International Cricket Council, and Bopara dispatched the first delivery of the 17-day event for four.

Another off-side boundary followed later in the over, sent down by left-armer Dirk Nannes, and the young duo saw benefit for a willingness to hit over the top.

They registered the England 50 inside six overs and were well placed for a larger total when they reached the halfway point on 89 without loss. But when Bopara holed out off Essex team-mate Ryan ten Doeschate, four runs short of his half-century, it sparked a spell of regular dismissals.

The rest of the top five all picked out fielders, including Sussex's Wright, to culminate an aggressive 71 from 49 deliveries.

But the Dutch minnows restricted the boundary county in the final 10 overs - a period which included only five, none of which were from the final 17 deliveries.