England levelled their One Day International series with West Indies after a remarkable chase powered by skipper Liam Livingstone, who flayed the hosts’ bowlers to all parts.

Earlier, Shai Hope struck a fine 117 to take his men to a score of 328 that had looked difficult to reach, but Livingstone had other ideas, smashing nine sixes in Antigua as England won by five wickets.

Livingstone had helped England make the game alive as they went in search of only the sixth 300+ score managed by any international team at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua, putting together important partnerships with Jacob Bethell (55) and Sam Curran (52).

But with the run rate soaring, England needed a big finish, and it was the captain who provided it, going from 52 to his century in the space of just 17 deliveries, as sixes rained down in the North Sound sky.

A huge over off Jayden Seales put England in control, and a 24-run over off Shamar Joseph effectively ended the contest as Livingstone teed off in style.

The England skipper, who was not even a part of the ODI set-up with the initial selection for the Australia tour in September, finished unbeaten on 124 from 85 deliveries.

Set a huge 329 to win, England got off to a fast start, with Phil Salt at the fore with his fiery run-a-ball 59.

But Salt’s departure left England on 107-3 with 30 overs remaining, leaving them up against it in Antigua.

A classy first international half-century for Bethell led the recovery alongside captain Livingstone, before his promising knock ended with a catch on the fence.

Yet Curran showed his strengths as a middle-order batter, rebuilding well alongside Livingstone and taking the game deep with the sort of innings that suggests he could fill that Ben Stokes role in England’s batting order.

Curran departed late on for a run-a-ball 52, but much of the damage had already been done by Livingstone’s stunning acceleration.

And it was left to the England skipper to finish the job, with the win wrapped up with 15 balls to spare.

Earlier, Shai Hope’s superb century (117 from 127 balls) helped his team rebuild along with Keacy Carty (71 from 77) after John Turner’s two early wickets -0 his first in international cricket.

Some superb hitting down the order from Sherfane Rutherford (54 from 36), Shimron Hetmyer (24 from 11) and Matthew Forde (23* from 11) boosted the total to 328-6, which on most days would have been enough.

Nine bowlers were used in all by England, with Adil Rashid (2-62 from 10 overs), Turner (2-42 from six), Jofra Archer (1-40 from nine) and Liam Livingstone (1-56 from seven) taking the wickets.

Livingstone has just locked himself into England’s future plans in One Day International cricket with the sort of innings that makes good on his immense promise.

Given responsibility in the top five, he excelled, showing the ability to rebuild and tick scoring over through the middle overs.

There was never any doubt of his ability to go big, but the nature of how he went up through the gears in his inspired 124no was truly remarkable.

He brought up his ton off 77 deliveries and nine sixes in all, demolishing a decent international bowling attack.

This was in many ways a bit of a miracle win, and yet England will also be able to take some other positives from it, aside from Livingstone’s heroics.

One of those positives was the display of youngster Bethell, who looks every inch an international cricketer, and was hugely impressive on his way to scoring a first 50 for his country.

Curran also showed that when picked as a top-six batter who can bowl a bit then he is a valuable option for this England team – the sort of player that can fill that Ben Stokes role as a left-hander who can dig in when the going gets tough.

With the ball there were some encouraging signs too. Turner has a spark that means he should add to his international caps, while Archer was again impressive, bowling in back-to-back ODIs as he quietly but steadily increases his workloads.

Livingstone went from 52 to 100 in just 17 deliveries during his rapid acceleration. His first 52 runs had come off 60 balls.

Shai Hope’s hundred was his 17th in ODIs for West Indies, putting him joint-third all-time behind only Brian Lara (19) and Chris Gayle (25).

This was a match of firsts. Turner’s wickets were his first in international cricket, as was Shamar Joseph’s for West Indies, while Jacob Bethell’s half-century was his first for England, and Livingstone’s hundred was his first in the format.