England vs Australia: Liam Livingstone propels hosts to series-levelling T20I victory in Cardiff

A half-century from Liam Livingstone on his 50th T20I appearance propelled England to a three-wicket victory against Australia in Cardiff to level their three-match series.

In a match which marked Australia’s 200th men’s T20I, it was one of their newest caps who led the way after the tourists were made to bat first as Jake Fraser-McGurk cracked 50 from 31 balls on the back of an opening partnership of 52 between Travis Head and Matt Short.

Two wickets apiece from spinner Livingstone (2-16) and Brydon Carse (2-26) – in for the rested Jofra Archer in the only change from the 28-run defeat in the first match of the series – checked Australia’s progress. However, a late-innings burst from Cameron Green and Aaron Hardie propelled them to 193-6 from their 20 overs.

Having made a valuable contribution with the ball, Lancashire all-rounder Livingstone then blasted 87 from 47 balls which put England on their way to victory with an over to spare, despite 5-22 from part-time spinner Short.

Fraser-McGurk shows his talent for Australia

Australia could hardly have asked for a better start after losing the toss, with stand-in skipper Head – handed the captaincy when Mitchell Marsh was ruled out due to illness – setting the tone.

The left-hander and Matt Short blazed the tourists past the half-century mark in just 24 balls, but their opening stand was broken with seamer Carse’s second ball of the match as Head slashed to Rashid at point to depart for 31 from just 14 balls in the fifth over.

But Fraser-McGurk, who had not scored higher than 16 and been dismissed for two ducks in his three previous T20I innings, set about England’s bowling, including cracking three fours in a row off Sam Curran in the final over of the powerplay.

Even after Short perished to Rashid for 28 in the ninth over, clean-bowled after misreading one from the spinner, there was no let-up from the 22-year-old as he smashed two sixes on the way to his maiden T20I half-century in the 13th over.

But just two balls later, he became Livingstone’s first victim as he clattered the right-arm spinner to Jamie Overton and the same duo combined to remove new batter Marcus Stoinis (2) two overs later.

Carse then accounted for Tim Davis (1), who pinned his hopes on being saved by DRS after getting a toe-end on one which carried through to wicketkeeper Phil Salt but failed in his review, with five overs of Australia’s innings remaining.

At the other end, Josh Inglis had raced to 42 from 26 balls, yet he was undone by the first ball of Curran’s return to the attack when he was caught by Carse.

However, late cameos from Hardie (20no from nine balls) and Green (13no from eight) – who was dropped by Overton off Saqib Mahmood in the penultimate over – saw Australia set England 194 to force a series decider in Manchester on Sunday.

Livingstone blazes England to victory

After being limited to just two runs from the first over, England’s reply burst into life in the third when Salt launched an assault on Hardie which saw the seamer clattered for three consecutive sixes.

The introduction of Sean Abbott the following over checked the home side’s progress as the seamer accounted for Will Jacks, caught in the deep by Fraser-McGurk for 12, and Jordan Cox, who lasted just two deliveries before being bowled without scoring, in quick succession.

Livingstone was at his hard-hitting best with the bat, though, putting on a 45 partnership for the third wicket with Salt before the stand-in captain hit off-spinner Short to Abbott and departed for 39 in the ninth over.

Recent England call-up Jacob Bethell showed great composure alongside the more experienced Livingstone, though, clattering 44 from 24 balls as part of a crucial 90-run stand with the 31-year-old which firmly swung the match in the hosts’ favour.

Bethell was eventually dismissed in the 17th over, bowled attempting to sweep Short with 35 runs still needed for victory, and Curran only managed to add a single run before being caught by Connolly off the right-armer.

When Livingstone was eventually removed by Short, England needed just one run for victory and although Carse was out for a golden duck after hitting Short to David, Rashid came in to hit the winning run off the last ball of the 19th over to ensure everything is still to play for in Manchester.

What they said

England all-rounder and player of the match Liam Livingstone:

“I feel like I’m getting my body back to normal. The last couple of years have taught me a lot of life lessons.

“I enjoy the responsibility. It’s not easy coming in at six or seven, it’s hard to get into a rhythm so moving up the order has been nice. I feel like I’m in decent nick with bat and ball.

“I’m enjoying my cricket, it’s nice to play with a smile on my face.

“Bethell is an incredible talent. He’s got a great head on young shoulders. Exciting talent. He’s a fearless kid and to play like that is pretty special.”

England captain Phil Salt:

“Incredible performance, what [Livingstone] did was second to none.

“We all know he’s capable of that, the way he paced the innings and took their best bowler down.

“I knew we would have to play well, again they had a good powerplay and we let them get away quickly.

“Really pleased the boys have come here and done it straight away.”

What’s next?

The T20I leg of the white-ball series concludes at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Sunday, followed by the first of five ODIs which takes place four days later in Nottingham.

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