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Captain Liam Livingstone hit his maiden one-day international hundred to lead England to a five-wicket win over the West Indies on Saturday.
Livingston’s scorching innings was outdone by a century on the day scored by opposition captain Shay Hope.
Chasing a 329-ball win, the England captain made a hundred off 77 balls with four fours and six sixes.
He finished the innings unbeaten on 124 after adding another boundary and three more sixes to his total as England cruised to a 15-ball victory.
From 160-4, Livingstone and Sam Curran put on a match-winning partnership of 140 runs for the fifth wicket.
Curran made a run-ball 52 while openers Phil Salt (59) and Jacob Bethell (55) also celebrated half-centuries.
Livingstone, who leads the team in place of the injured Jos Buttler, said: “At the end of the summer, I felt that I had returned to my best form, that I had matured a little and knew my playing style.”
“I enjoy cricket, and if I’m enjoying cricket, I usually play well. Sammy played beautifully.”
“We were sloppy on the field but our bowlers did well and took wickets throughout. We have a lot of youngsters who are learning the ropes of international cricket and this will do them a world of good,” he added.
West Indies fast bowler Matthew Ford took 3-48 but key off-spinner Gudakesh Motie went wicketless in nine overs, conceding 71, the most expensive return of his ODI career.
Hope made 117 – his 17th ODI century – as West Indies recovered from the loss of both openers Brandon King and Evin Lewis, a century-maker in the first match, inside four overs with just 12 on the board.
Both wickets fell to fast bowler John Turner, his first victim in his second appearance.
Hope’s innings included eight fours and four sixes.
Keacy Carty scored 71 while Sherfane Rutherford gave extra impetus with 54 off 36 balls.
Hope described his century as “irrelevant, if it does not contribute to victories”.
He added: “We need to be more disciplined, in the first match we showed that when he hits our belts, things happen.
“We thought we had clear plans, but we didn’t execute our plans well. We gave them too many easy options to score and when you play international cricket, players will benefit and that’s what happened.”
England used nine bowlers in the West Indies innings with only wicketkeeper Salt and Jordan Cox not bowling.
West Indies won the first match by eight wickets at the same venue on Thursday. The three-match series in Barbados will be decided on Wednesday.
“Coming back to the series, looking forward to Barbados, we will sit back and try to win the series,” Livingstone added.
The two sides will also compete in a five-match Twenty20 International series.
DJ/IWD
