Liam Livingstone stars as England survive late scare to beat Australia and level T20 series
ByOli Gent
Published 13/09/2024 at 21:28 GMT
England survived two late wickets to round off a successful chase and level their T20 series with Australia, winning by three wickets in Cardiff. The tourists had put up 193-6 in their 20 overs at Sophia Gardens, and it was Liam Livingstone who propelled England to victory in the second match of three with a fantastic 87 off 48 balls, while Jacob Bethell racked up 44 off 24 to supplement.
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England held off a last-minute wicket flurry to successfully eclipse Australia's tally and level the T20 series in Cardiff.
Marcus Trescothick, overseeing the white-ball side on an interim basis after Matthew Mott's dismissal earlier this year, watched his side struggle initially with the bat, but Liam Livingstone was the driving force to victory as he powered 87 off 48 balls, and 20-year-old Jacob Bethell tallied 44 off 24 as the middle order came good.
Australia had posted 193-6 at Sophia Gardens, but England just about had enough steam to catch them with seven balls to play and just a run to win it.
Livingstone was dismissed by Matt Short ball after he had swept another clean four, when it seemed as though England were sailing to victory, and his replacement at the crease, Brydon Carse, was back in the pavilion a delivery later when he was caught by Tim David after an ugly slog.
Adil Rashid stepped up and delivered the quick single that England needed, showing no nerves with the pressure increasing.
Before that, captain Phil Salt's wicket seemed crucial, and it fell with the opener on 39 off 23, as he mistimed a Short delivery, and Sean Abbott duly accepted the gift.
Will Jacks and Jordan Cox did themselves no favours as they were sent packing for a combined 12 – Jacks contributed all of those – but they were spared when Livingstone stepped up to the stumps, cracking six fours and five sixes as he played the starring role to follow up the two wickets he had taken earlier.
The England attack itself took over four overs to take its first wicket, when Head was dismissed by Carse, and they struggled to shift the Aussie openers, Head and Short, who tallied 59 between them.
Jake Fraser-McGurk hit a half-century from third in the visiting order, and his wicket was key, and Livingstone took it in the 13th over.
"Towards the end of the Hundred I felt I was getting my body back to normal, which is a thing that has bothered me the last couple of years," Livingstone said afterwards.
"It has taught me a few life lessons, but I am enjoying my cricket and playing with a smile on my face.
"Over the last couple of years you can only play with the hand you have been dealt.
"It is not easy coming in a five, six or seven. So moving up the order, it gives me a bit more responsibility, time to bat, and I feel I am in decent nick at the moment with bat and ball. It has been a tough couple of years, but I am back playing with a smile on my face."
The Lancashire all-rounder also sung the praises of Bethell.
"I have seen it over the last couple of weeks in the Hundred," he said. "He is an incredible talent, but he has a great head on very young shoulders. As an England fan, it is exciting to have a player like that, with the talent he has got. To be out there batting with him in the middle, he is a fearless kid and to play like that at 20 is pretty special."
Meanwhile, Australia captain Travis Head had some regrets about how his game plan panned out.
"Good score, [I] felt like we were right in the hunt and we were close," he said.
"I thought Hardie had an exceptional couple of overs. You go with your gut and your game plan, we'll sit down, but you play your best, and sometimes it doesn't come off.
"[I] should have bowled Short earlier. I know what he's going to offer, a nice option moving into the last T20 and the ODIs.
"I just tried to keep the ship rolling for Mitch [Marsh], hopefully he gets better and comes back."
The final match of the series will be played at Old Trafford on Sunday, before a tour of the West Indies closes out the white-ball calendar.
Then, Brendon McCullum will arrive as the new coach at the turn of the year.
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