Stand-in skipper Liam Livingstone powered a stunning first England century to take his side to a five-wicket win over West Indies in the second ODI in Antigua and the three-match series to a 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 pressed on two days later with a superbly-paced maiden ODI ton as the tourists eclipsed West Indies’ 328-6 – in which Shai Hope (117) struck a 17th century – with 21 balls to spare to make Wednesday’s Barbados finale winner-takes-all.
Livingstone – deputising as captain for Jos Buttler (calf) – 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 century 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 Motie, Jayden Seales and Shamar Joseph into the stands.
Defeat was harsh on Hope (117 off 127), who punished England wicketkeeper Phil Salt for dropping him on 60 to lead his side to 328-6 – 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 arms 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 Brendon McCullum takes charge of the white-ball team from January.
More to follow.