England 329 for five (Livingstone 124*, Salt 59, Bethell 55, Curran 52, Forde 3-48) beat West Indies 328 for six (Hope 117, Carty 71, Rutherford 54) by 5 wickets
That it was Livingstone’s maiden 50-over century is one factor. However main an inexperienced group, the accountability he assumed to see England house in a chase of 329 – and thus sq. the collection at 1-1 – in such jaw-dropping vogue is worthy of the best reward.
The acceleration on the finish that introduced victory with 15 balls to spare is showcased finest within the breakdown of Livingstone’s strategy into the ultimate 10 overs, with 100 nonetheless to get. He headed into this era on 46 from 57, earlier than placing 78 off his last 28 deliveries.
However issues unravelled, characterised by England’s use of 9 bowlers for under the second time in ODIs. That they might have dismissed Hope on 60 additionally reduce them deep.
From 12 for two, consolidation was the preliminary goal for Hope and Carty, who may have been eliminated on eight. An English squeeze concerned three fielders at backward level, however Bethell – the center of them – may solely palm a skewed drive from Carty which might have given Turner a 3rd dismissal.
The pair made it out of the Powerplay on 41 for two, a determine bumped up within the tenth over by Hope’s first boundary – a surprising back-foot launch over additional cowl for six off Turner. A brace of straight drives off Saqib Mahmood – the one change to the XI from the primary ODI, with Jamie Overton sitting out – and a second six, lofting Adil Rashid over cowl, was then adopted by some quiet rotation.
As soon as happy the early losses had been offset, dangers had been taken to carry the run-rate. Nevertheless, having cleared midwicket after Bethell dropped brief to deliver up his forty second fifty-plus rating, from 66 deliveries, it was a botched defensive push that ought to have introduced his innings to an finish on 60. A fringe of Bethell bounced out of the palms of Salt behind the stumps.
Carty was quickly transferring to his fourth ODI fifty from 62 deliveries. He was then given two lives when a top-edge took Turner over the boundary at deep effective leg, then the fielder dropped a far easier likelihood off the very subsequent ball. Each got here as Archer nailed his short-ball plans.
That miss would solely value three runs, as Rashid returned to bowl Carty by means of the gate at the beginning of the thirty first. However that introduced Rutherford to the crease, who ended up placing seven boundaries – three of them sixes – for a fifth half-century from simply 35 deliveries.
Although he was dismissed a ball later – caught at deep cowl making an attempt to copy the six over the identical area that took him to fifty – Hetmyer’s breezy 24 off 11 saved the stress on. He was additionally dropped on 2 by Will Jacks down at long-on.
As soon as Hetmyer was dismissed, caught by Archer at gully off a Rashid googly, Hope pressed down on the accelerator. After leaning right into a drive off his 118th supply to maneuver to 100, he smeared Rashid for a 4 and 6 to extensive long-on as 13 was taken off the 36-year-old’s last over.
Hell-bent on throwing his bat at all the pieces despatched his approach, Hope misinterpret a slower supply from Archer that was well-taken by Livingstone charging in from long-off. Forde then picked up the baton for the ultimate straight, placing three successive sixes off Mahmood within the last over to carry the hosts to 328 for six.
Although England shot themselves within the foot with 4 drops, they had been additionally responsible of spurning alternatives to make fast amends with the bat. Salt seemed on his solution to redemption, carrying the beginning of the innings on his again, shrugging off the lack of Jacks within the fifth over to contribute 36 of England’s first fifty runs.
When Shamar Joseph, making his ODI debut along with his namesake Alzarri rested, bounced out Jordan Cox for an agonising 4 off 19 deliveries, Bethell arrived to take England to 107 for 3 by the 20-over mark.
Each had been culpable for relinquishing management. Salt skied the primary ball of Forde’s new spell at the beginning of the twenty first for 59, then Bethell dumped Roston Chase into the palms of long-off after reaching a maiden worldwide fifty.
However the duo of Livingstone and Curran, gamers nonetheless with a lot to show regardless of their expertise, refused to panic. Curran initially took the reins because the aggressor, beginning neatly with a six off Motie having observed an additional fielder within the outfield meant the umpires would name it a no-ball. He contributed 31 of the preliminary 50 for the fifth wicket earlier than Livingstone, after 5 overs and not using a boundary heading into the ultimate 10, determined it was going to be all on him.
The starter pistol was set with a cost off Motie down the bottom to deliver up Livingstone’s fifty from 60 deliveries, earlier than he signed off the forty first over with a slog-sweep over deep midwicket off the very subsequent supply. Again-to-back sixes in Motie’s subsequent over – the second mentioning the century stand from 92 – additionally discovered the grass banks.
Tempo was then put again on the ball, which performed additional into Livingstone’s favour. When Curran was dismissed a ball after the skipper had nudged his 77th ball down the bottom to maneuver to 100, Dan Mousley performed his half to a tee – merely dabbing singles. Crucial got here at the beginning of the forty eighth over, giving Livingstone the strike for the honour of hitting the profitable run.
Vithushan Ehantharajah is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo