Sir Alastair Cook dinner has hailed Liam Livingstone’s “coming-of-age” knock after England’s stand-in captain hit his maiden ODI century towards West Indies to stage the collection and arrange a decider.
Livingstone, who was dropped for September’s one-day internationals towards Australia earlier than starring within the T20 fixtures, has since been appointed stand-in skipper following Jos Buttler’s calf harm – and led his group to victory on Saturday with an unbeaten 124 off 85 balls.
Having fallen to an eight-wicket defeat to the hosts within the opener on the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Thursday – Livingstone prime scoring with 48 – the vacationers had been criticised for not with the ability to convert their good begins.
“Honest play to him [Livingstone]. He was beneath a little bit of scrutiny and stress after Thursday’s sport,” former England captain Cook dinner advised TNT Sports activities.
“It was a coming-of-age knock. It was completely sensible; 46 off 57 balls – that is so in contrast to what we have normally seen of Livingstone.
“He went up and down the gears and to have the starvation to be there on the finish was sensible. The final 78 runs got here off 28 balls. That’s some freakish energy.
“Should you had guys who usually are not on this group, like [Harry] Brook, [Joe] Root, [Ben] Duckett, and have Livingstone as a finisher at No 5, then that is a harmful 50-over top-order.
“He is had the chance to steer your nation and that is an enormous honour. He’ll go to mattress glad. It is solely after he received dropped that he began batting at No 5.
“There’s not many locations you may conceal the ball to him. Not many gamers have the flexibility to hit three sixes [in a row]. He is not premediating, he is reacting with nice talent and readability to hit the ball so clearly.”
Cook dinner was additionally filled with reward for the character proven by Livingstone’s team-mates to bounce again from their heavy defeat to maintain the collection alive, with Jacob Bethell, Phil Salt and Sam Curran additionally scoring fifties.
He added: “They had been poor on Thursday however at the moment everybody had match-toughness. Salt performed properly and the pitch suited him with the ball approaching to him. He likes that.
“I used to be impressed by Bethell’s maturity He received into the tempo rather well. These guys have been constructed on T20 cricket and The Hundred. In 50-over cricket you could have a lot extra time to absorb stress.”
Livingstone stated he is again to having fun with cricket once more
After his knock, Livingstone stated England wished to take dangers and strengthened his aspect’s attacking mentality.
“There’s sure issues I’ve accomplished in follow on the finish of the summer time in England the place I felt like I used to be getting again to my greatest,” Livingstone advised TNT Sports activities.
“Simply maturing slightly bit and understanding my sport fairly properly and again having fun with cricket. In the end, that is the primary factor, I play properly after I’m having fun with it.
“We wished to take dangers early on. I attempted to get myself going after which set it up for the tip and goal their dying bowling. It labored completely in the long run.
“Curran performed fantastically. I’ve batted rather a lot with him so I knew I may belief him. We wanted somebody to get an enormous rating and that is what we did at the moment.
“I believe we had been nice with the ball too. Total, a reasonably first rate group efficiency and we’re again within the collection.”
West Indies vs England schedule (all instances UK and Eire)
- First ODI: Antigua – West Indies win by eight wickets (DLS)
- Second ODI: Antigua – England win by 5 wickets
- Third ODI: Barbados – Wednesday November 6 (6pm)
- First T20: Barbados – Saturday November 9 (8pm)
- Second T20: Barbados – Sunday November 10 (8pm)
- Third T20: St Lucia – Thursday November 14 (8pm)
- Fourth T20: St Lucia – Saturday November 16 (8pm)
- Fifth T20: St Lucia – Sunday November 17 (8pm)
Observe England’s white-ball tour of West Indies throughout Sky Sports activities‘ digital platforms with reside blogs and reviews. The third and closing one-day worldwide is in Barbados on Wednesday (6pm begin UK and Eire).
