Livingstone’s ton sparks England comeback in Antigua

England captain Liam Livingstone scored a brilliant unbeaten century, leading the team to a five-wicket win over the West Indies in Antigua, levelling the three-match series at 1-1 on Saturday.

Chasing a substantial target of 329, Livingstone powered England’s pursuit with a quick 124 off 85 balls, including nine sixes, expertly timing the chase.

Despite West Indies’ strong finish, scoring 93 runs in the last 10 overs of their innings with Shai Hope's impressive 117, England found themselves at a delicate 160-4 after 28 overs.

Livingstone, partnered with Sam Curran, who contributed a brisk 52, steered England’s comeback. Although they required 100 runs in the final 10 overs, Livingstone’s aggressive hitting capitalised on loose West Indies bowling to secure his first ODI century.

Phil Salt, with a steady 59, and Jacob Bethell, adding 55, gave England a solid start. In the 47th over, Livingstone struck 22 runs off Shamar Joseph, leaving England needing only a handful of runs. They reached the target with 15 balls to spare.

Reflecting on the match, Livingstone acknowledged the importance of big individual scores and praised Salt’s early innings. He also noted the impact of England’s young players gaining international experience.

West Indies captain Shai Hope, scoring his 17th ODI century, had earlier thought the team’s 328 was competitive, given the challenging outfield and inconsistent pitch. However, he admitted the West Indies failed to execute their plans, allowing England easier scoring opportunities.

After the West Indies openers Brandon King and Evin Lewis fell early to John Turner, Hope and Keacy Carty stabilised the innings with a 143-run partnership before Carty was bowled by Adil Rashid for 71.

Despite some fielding lapses by England, Hope made the most of his innings, supported by Sherfane Rutherford’s rapid 50 and Shimron Hetmyer's 24 off 11 balls. Jofra Archer eventually dismissed Hope when he mistimed a drive to Livingstone.

England faced early challenges as Will Jacks was dismissed for 12 and Jordan Cox struggled before falling to a short ball from Shamar Joseph. However, Livingstone, first with Bethell and later Curran, seized on the West Indies’ erratic bowling to secure the victory.