West Indies vs England: Liam Livingstone's superb first ODI century sets up series decider

cricket Sunday 3 November 2024 10:10, UK

Stand-in skipper Liam Livingstone powered a stunning first England ODI century to take his side to a five-wicket win over West Indies in Antigua and set up a series decider.

Livingstone (124no off 85) had fallen two runs short of fifty during an eight-wicket defeat in the series opener at the same venue on Thursday as England were bundled out for 209 in 45.1 overs.

But he pressed on two days later with a superbly-paced maiden ODI hundred as the tourists eclipsed West Indies' 328-6 - in which Shai Hope (117) struck a 17th century - with 15 balls to spare to make Wednesday's Barbados finale (6pm UK and Ireland) winner-takes-all.

Livingstone - deputising as captain for Jos Buttler (calf) weeks after being dropped - and Sam Curran (52 off 52) joined forces at 160-4 with the ask 169 from 132 balls and initially absorbed pressure before Livingstone exploded from the 41st over onwards, turning a 60-ball fifty into a 77-ball ton and cracking nine sixes in total.

The 31-year-old, who put on 140 from 107 balls with Curran, went six-crazy at the backend, thumping Gudakesh Motie, Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph into the stands in a devastating display of hitting.

Defeat was harsh on West Indies captain Hope, who punished England wicketkeeper Phil Salt for dropping him on 60 - the skipper supported by Keacy Carty (71) during a stand of 143 from 12-2 and then Sherfane Rutherford (54), who clubbed a 35-ball fifty.

England used nine bowlers for just the second time in an ODI - the first occasion was against Sri Lanka in the 1987 World Cup - with only Salt and Jordan Cox not turning their arm over.

That meant Jofra Archer (1-40) - the man to finally dismiss Hope - bowled only nine of a possible 10 overs, with Sir Alastair Cook saying the approach was "confusing" while on punditry duty for TNT Sports as only leg-spinner Adil Rashid (2-62) got through his full quota.

But any errors Livingstone may have made in the field he more than made up for with the bat, adding five fours to his glut of sixes but more importantly delivering under pressure, staking his claim for a major role when Test supremo Brendon McCullum takes charge of the white-ball team from January.

Other bright spots for England were John Turner, who dismissed West Indies openers Brandon King (7) and Evin Lewis (4) to pick up his first international wickets, and Jacob Bethell's (55) first ODI fifty, the latter playing with the composure, skill and tempo that has earned him a call-up to the Test squad for the tour of New Zealand.

Turner struck in the second over with King caught superbly by a diving Cox at point, while the Hampshire quick then had Lewis pouched down the leg-side by Salt in the fourth.

Hope and Carty steadied West Indies and it took England another 26 overs to strike again; Carty bowled off bat and pad by Rashid's googly in the 31st, shortly after he was dropped at deep backward square by Turner off Archer.

Hope should have been dismissed in the 25th over but Salt spilt a chance up close to the stumps after the Windies skipper attempted to cut Bethell through the off-side.

England were punished to the tune of a further 57 runs before Hope holed out off Archer's pace-off delivery, having shared important stands of 79 from 57 and 31 off 17, respectively, with power-packed left-handers Rutherford and Shimron Hetmyer (24 off 11).

Hope's 17th ODI hundred, in his 124th innings, takes him level with the number Desmond Haynes managed for West Indies, with only Chris Gayle (25) and Brian Lara (19) managing more.

It remains a mystery why a man averaging close to 50 in ODIs is still to crack Test cricket, a format he last played in three years ago.

Elsewhere for West Indies, Hetmyer crunched three sixes after being grassed on three by Will Jacks, at long-on, while Matthew Forde (23no off 11) nailed three maximums in a row off the recalled Saqib Mahmood in the final over.

Salt, no doubt looking to atone for dropping Hope, struck 59 at the start of the chase, only to then balloon Forde (3-48) to mid-on in the 21st over as England lost a third wicket - the opener following Jacks (12) and Cox (4) in being dismissed.

Jacks was first to fall, hauling Forde to deep square leg one ball after a gorgeous cover-driven four, with Cox then bounced out by debutant Joseph after a torturous 19-ball stay.

Bethell reached fifty from 51 deliveries with a six over midwicket but, just like Salt, fell soon after the milestone, caught in the deep off Roston Chase after adding 44 with Salt and 53 with match-winner Livingstone.

Curran departed in the 45th over with 29 runs required - slicing Forde to Hetmyer at deep backward point - before Livingstone cracked three sixes and a four off Joseph in the 46th and then the match-sealing single off Forde in the next.