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In an intense clash at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, England emerged victorious over West Indies by five wickets in the second ODI of the three-match series. A thrilling chase saw England successfully hunt down the formidable target of 329 with 15 balls to spare, thanks to a sensational knock from Liam Livingstone, whose century anchored their innings.
West Indies’ solid innings anchored by Shai Hope
West Indies, after being put into bat by England, posted a challenging total of 328/6 in their 50 overs. The i🐽nnings had a rocky start, with Brandon King and Evin Lewis dismissed early for 7 and 4 runs, respectively. However, Keacy Carty steadied the ship with a composed 71 off 77 balls, hitting 5 fours and a six. His efforts were bolstered by Shai Hope, who played a captain’s knock, amassing a stellar 117 off 127 balls, striking 8 fours and 4 sixes to keep the West Indies innings on course.
Sherfane Rutherford provided a late flurry, scoring a quick 54 off just 36 balls, featuring 4 fours and 3 sixes, which accelerated the scoring rate. Shimron Hetmyer added valuable runs with a brisk 24 off 11 deliveries, including 3 sixes, and Matthew Forde’s 23 off 11 deliveries pushed West Indies to a competitive total. England’s bowlers had a challenging time containing the runs, with Jofra Archer and John Turner picking up crucial wickets, each chipping in with one and two wickets, respectively. Adil Rashid bowled his full quota, taking two wickets for 62 runs, while Liam Livingstone provided a breakthrough as well, dismissing Rutherford to break a threatening partnership.
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England levels the series with Liam Livingstone blitz
Chasing 329, England began cautiously, with opener Philip Salt setting the foundation with a 59-run knock off 59 balls, which included 8 boundaries. England lost early wickets, including Will Jacks and Jordan Cox, but Jacob Bethell (55 off 57) provided stability alongside Salt. However, it was Livingstone who stole the show with an explosive knock. His magnificent 124 off 85 balls, featuring 5 fours and 9 sixes, swung the momentum in England’s favour. Livingstone’ partnership with Sam Curran, who added a composed 52 off 52 balls, proved decisive in keeping England on track. Together, they powered through the West Indies bowling attack, relentlessly targeting boundaries to propel England to victory in 47.3 overs with 5 wickets in hand.
West Indies’ bowlers struggled to stem the flow of runs in the latter stages of the chase. Forde stood out with figures of 3 for 48 in his 8.3 overs, while Roston Chase and Shamar Joseph each chipped in with one wicket. Despite Forde’s valiant efforts, the target proved insufficient to hold back the England batting charge.
With this victory, England levelled ღthe series 1-1, making the upcoming third and final ODI on November 6 at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, a highly anticipated decider♚.
