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Livingstone and Bethell shine as England equalise the T20I series
Livingstone and Bethell shine as England equalise the T20I series
An all-round performance from the experienced Liam Livingstone helped England square the T20I series against Australia.
Maybe being left out of England's ODI squad was the push Liam Livingstone needed. After struggling with injuries for the past three years, Livingstone celebrated his 50th T20I match by smashing 87 runs off 47 balls to tie the series in Cardiff. He also helped slow down Australia with 2 wickets for 16 runs in his three overs.
England needed 194 runs to force a decider in Manchester on Sunday. They were struggling at 79 for 3 in the ninth over when Phil Salt was caught off Matthew Short's delivery. However, Liam Livingstone and the talented allrounder Jacob Bethell teamed up to add 90 runs in just 47 balls. Despite some tense moments against Short's off breaks, England managed to win with an over to spare.
Bethell was handed his first England cap by Livingstone on Wednesday, having been mentored by him at Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred. They fed off one another: as Livingstone laid into Australia's under-strength seam attack, Bethell took down their spinners - including four consecutive boundaries off Adam Zampa, which broke the back of the chase.
Bethell fell with 25 still needed, losing his off stump while reverse-sweeping, but Livingstone took England home. Given the responsibility of batting at No. 4 in a young side, Livingstone was playing for his England future this week but has delivered, twice top-scoring and taking five wickets in six overs.
It meant Livingstone addressed a long-standing charge against him: that he has often shown glimpses of his talent in international cricket, but has rarely won England a game. While he could not quite deliver the decisive blow - he was bowled trying to hit Short for six with scores tied - this was still a match-winning innings, featuring five sixes.
He sent a raucous, sold-out Cardiff crowd home happy. "I've struck the ball better, but in terms of situations, scenarios, I don't really care about scoring runs in loses," Livingstone said. "It's all about winning games: I want to win games for England and today I feel like I've done that."
Australia's total of 193 owed much to Jake Fraser-McGurk's maiden international half-century, with Josh Inglis adding 42. They were pegged back after another fast start, but looked short on bowling quality with Xavier Bartlett missing due to a side strain and Josh Hazlewood rested - and so it proved.
Scorecard Summary
Australia • 193/6(20 overs)
Jake Fraser-McGurk : 50 (31)
Josh Inglis : 42 (26)
Liam Livingstone : 2/16 (3)
Brydon Carse : 2/26 (4)
England • 194/7(19 overs)
Liam Livingstone : 87 (47)
Jacob Bethell : 44 (24)
Matthew Short : 5/22 (3)
Sean Abbott : 2/37 (4)
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