Livingstone smashes England to series-levelling win against West Indies

ANTIGUA (Agencies): England captain Liam Livingstone struck a magnificent century to guide the tourists to a five-wicket victory over West Indies in Antigua on Saturday which squared the series at 1-1. Set a formidable target of 329 to keep the three-match series alive, Livingstone cracked an unbeaten 124 off 85 balls including nine sixes as England timed their chase to perfection. West Indies looked favourites after harvesting 93 off the final 10 overs of their innings in which Shai Hope struck a superb 117 and England tried nine different bowlers. England had little margin for error at 160-4 after 28 overs but Livingstone, in partnership with Sam Curran who made a run-a-ball 52, kept them on track, although 100 off the last 10 overs for victory was still a sizeable task. The pendulum swung rapidly towards the tourists though as Livingstone turned up the heat with some huge sixes off some poor West Indies bowling in his first ODI century. In the end it was comfortable for England as Livingstone hit 22 runs off Shamar Joseph in the 47th over to make victory a formality. He scored the winning run with 15 balls to spare.

England’s innings was given some impetus by opener Phil Salt who made 59 off 59 balls while Jacob Bethell scored 55.  Hope arrived at the start of the fourth over after West Indies openers Brandon King and Evin Lewis both fell cheaply to John Turner after the hosts were invited to bat first. He and Keacy Carty steadied the ship in a stand of 143 before Carty, who was dropped on single figures, was out for 71, bowled through the gate by Adil Rashid. Hope was dropped on 60 off the bowling of Bethell and he took full advantage against a ragged England attack. With Hope set, Sherfane Rutherford piled pressure on England with a half century from 36 deliveries while Shimron Hetmyer’s 24 came off 11 balls. Hope was eventually out when he mistimed a drive off Jofra Archer and picked out Livingstone. When Matthew Forde cleared the boundary rope three times in the 50th over it looked bleak for England. The tourists lost opener Will Jacks for 12 as he struck a Forde delivery straight to Lewis at deep square leg. Jordan Cox looked uncomfortable before falling to a short-pitched ball from Shamar Joseph but Salt showed great control to reach his half century before becoming Forde’s second victim. Livingstone, first with Bethell and then with Curran, was the difference between the sides, though, as he punished some wayward West Indies bowling.

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES INNINGS

Brandon King c Cox b Turner   7

Evin Lewis c Salt b Turner       4

Keacy Carty b Rashid     71

Shai Hope c Livingstone b Archer      117

Sherfane Rutherford c Mousley b Livingstone        54

Shimron Hetmyer c Archer b Rashid  24

Roston Chase not out      20

Matthew Forde not out   23

Did not bat: Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph

EXTRAS (LB 2, W 6)    8

TOTAL (50 overs)         328-6

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-7 (Brandon King, 1.4 ov), 2-12 (Evin Lewis, 3.1 ov), 3-155 (Keacy Carty, 30.2 ov), 4-234 (Sherfane Rutherford, 39.5 ov), 5-265 (Shimron Hetmyer, 42.4 ov), 6-297 (Shai Hope, 46.6 ov)

BOWLING

Jofra Archer 9-1-40-1

John Turner 6-0-42-2

Saqib Mahmood   8-0-56-0

Adil Rashid 10-0-62-2

Liam Livingstone  7-0-56-1

Jacob Bethell        3-0-20-0

Will Jacks   2-0-16-0

Sam Curran 3-0-17-0

Dan Mousley        2-0-17-0

ENGLAND INNINGS

Phil Salt c Motie b Forde 59

Will Jacks c Lewis b Forde       12

Jordan Cox c Hope b Joseph     4

Jacob Bethell c Seales b Chase 55

Liam Livingstone not out 124

Sam Curran c Hetmyer b Forde 52

Dan Mousley not out      4

Did not bat: Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, John Turner

EXTRAS (B 2, LB 8, NB 2, W 7)      19

TOTAL (47.3 overs)      329-5

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-37 (Will Jacks, 4.5 ov), 2-63 (Jordan Cox, 11.2 ov), 3-107 (Phil Salt, 20.1 ov), 4-160 (Jacob Bethell, 27.6 ov), 5-300 (Sam Curran, 45.3 ov)

BOWLING

Matthew Forde     8.3-0-48-3

Jayden Seales       8-0-66-0

Shamar Joseph      10-0-72-1

Gudakesh Motie    9-0-71-0

Sherfane Rutherford       2-0-9-0

Roston Chase        10-0-53-1

Umpires: Allahuddien Paleker, Gregory Brathwaite

TV umpire: Rod Tucker

Match referee: Reon King