Live on the BBC red button and website, and showing off their new Investec branded kit for the first time in a competitive match, England ran out 4-0 winners thanks to goals from Reading's Alex Danson, Leicester pair Chloe Rogers and Crista Cullen, and one from captain Kate Walsh.
Walsh, also a member of Reading's England Hockey League Championship winning side of last season, scored the best goal of the match with a well placed pacey drag flick high into the Belgian goal with quarter of an hour remaining.
Before that, in a first half in which England won seven penalty corners, it was Reading's Alex Danson and Leicester's Chloe Rogers that got England up and running with two goals before the break.
England began strongly and Danson gave England the perfect reward for their opening pressure with a goal in the 12th minute. Reacting quickest to a save by Belgium goalkeeper Nadine Khouzam from a penalty corner, Danson knocked the ball through the 'keeper and over the line to give England the early lead.
And Leicester's Chloe Rogers (below) doubled the advantage shortly after when she scored from close range, again picking up the ball from a save after clubmate Rebecca Herbert's effort.Danson was again involved in England's third after winning a penalty corner, which Crista Cullen converted on her 26th birthday and Walsh completed the scoring just under ten minutes later.
Although the result rarely looked in doubt after Chloe Rogers had doubled England’s lead midway through the first half, Head Coach Danny Kerry admitted afterwards that he would expect more from his team in Sunday’s match against Germany.
Speaking afterwards, he said, “It’s a win, it’s three points and it’s a good start to the tournament. We know we didn’t play well and we are frustrated with that, but we have a big game against Germany and we need to look at how to pick ourselves up for that.”
The margin of victory puts England top of Pool B after one match, ahead of Germany on goal difference after their 3-0 win over Ireland. In Pool A, the Netherlands comprehensively beat Azerbaijan 8-0 and Spain beat Italy 4-0.
England are in action again live on the BBC Red Button on Sunday afternoon when they face rivals Germany at 3pm BST. Germany will be looking to avenge their 2010 defeats to England in the bronze medal matches of the World Cup and Champions Trophy.