Liam Livingstone said he is thriving on extra responsibility up the order after his 87 levelled England’s T20 international series with Australia at 1-1 on Friday with one match to play. Australia had posted a big total of 193/6 thanks to Jake Fraser-McGurk’s first international 50 and contributions from captain Travis Head (31) and Josh Inglis (42). But Liam Livingstone had a starring role with both bat and ball to set up a winner takes all clash for the series in Manchester on Sunday.
Liam Livingstone in his 50th T20 international, the spinner was the pick of the England bowlers with 2-16 despite only bowling three overs. He then came to the crease with the hosts 34-2 inside four overs. Stand-in captain Phil Salt’s 39 off 23 deliveries helped his side rebuild but it was a blistering 90-run partnership off 47 balls between Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell that swung the game England’s way.
Pitch and Toss
The pitch at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff offers a balanced surface in white-ball cricket. Batters usually enjoy big scores at this venue with the first innings average score of 145. Teams batting first have won just three of ten T20I games so the toss will play a crucial role on Friday. Fast bowlers are also expected to get some help with a bounce from the surface but it will be a batter’s game in Cardiff.
England skipper Phil Salt won the toss and chose to field first with one change in the playing XI with Brydon Carse in place of Jofra Archer. Travis Head the stand in skipper in absence of Mitchell Marsh due to illness made three changes in the Playing XI after being asked to bat first.
Jake Fraser McGurk ‘s half century powers Australia to 193 in 20 overs.
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.
Fraser-McGurk missed out on selection at the Utilita Bowl after scoring 0, 16 and 0 in his first three T20I innings in Scotland last week, with Short preferred at the top of the order. But Mitchell Marsh’s illness – which saw Travis Head captain Australia for the first time in any format – gave Fraser-McGurk an opportunity at No. 3.
He came in after another fast start by Australia’s new opening pair: Short crunched Reece Topley for a six and two fours in the first over before Head raced to 31 off 13 balls, including two towering straight sixes. Brydon Carse’s extra pace made the difference: Head slapped his second ball, clocked at 91.3mph, straight to short cover.
Fraser-McGurk made a flying start of his own, hitting three consecutive boundaries off Sam Curran as Australia reached 67 for 1 off the Powerplay. After initially struggling to pick Adil Rashid, he then lofted a floaty legbreak back down the ground for a straight six – though Rashid then cleaned Short up for 28 with a trademark googly.
Liam Livingstone kept things tight through the middle and had both Fraser-McGurk and Marcus Stoinis caught at wide long-on by Jamie Overton – though not before Fraser-McGurk had audaciously launched the profligate Topley over deep point for six.
Travis Head was leading Australia for the first time, with Mitchell Marsh out of the game due to an illness. But he showed no pressure, playing his usual aggressive game to help Australia make a positive start after being asked to bat. Matthew Short began the attack, scoring a six and two fours off Reece Topley in a 15-run opening over.
Head then took over, taking the attack to Saqib Mahmood and Topley as he struck four fours and two sixes. But his innings was cut short by Brydon Carse, who replaced Jofra Archer, as Head handed a catch to backward point to depart for a 14-ball 31. Fraser-McGurk, batting at No.3, got going with three successive fours off Sam Curran to help Australia end the powerplay on a strong note.
Adil Rashid and Carse bowled a couple of tight overs and the leg spinner, despite being hit for a six by Fraser-McGurk, hit back with the wicket of Short. Australia were still well-placed to post a big total, having reached 96/2 at the halfway stage of their innings. Fraser-McGurk also hit a six off Topley en route to a 29-ball half-century before he mistimed a slog sweep off Livingstone. The all-rounder also accounted for the wicket of Marcus Stoinis to pull things back a bit in the middle overs.
Rashid, who had conceded only 20 from his first three overs, went for 15 in his last as Inglis struck a six and a four. Carse was hit for two fours by Inglis but he managed to pick up the wicket of Tim David to finish with 2 for 26. Australia slipped to 157/6 when Curran ended Inglis’ entertaining knock. But Australia did well in the last two overs, getting 31 runs. Cameron Green hit a six off Mahmood in the 19th, followed by two fours and a six for Aaron Hardie off Curran, who gave away 20 in the last over.
Carse was hit for consecutive fours by Inglis – who made 42 – but had Tim David caught behind with his last ball. He finished with 2 for 26 in his first international match since serving a ban for breaching anti-gambling regulations, having replaced the rested Jofra Archer. But Overton shelled Cameron Green at deep midwicket, and Aaron Hardie punished Curran in the final over to lift Australia to 193.
England stays positive despite Abbott’s strikes in the Powerplay
Hardie and Cooper Connolly began the attack for Australia, coming in as replacements for Josh Hazlewood and Xavier Bartlett. They didn’t have the best of starts as the first three overs yielded 34. Hardie started well with only two coming in the opening over but Connolly went for 11 and then Phil Salt took on Hardie, scoring three successive sixes in a 21-run third over.
Sean Abbott put England on the back foot in his first over, bagging the wickets of Will Jacks and Jordan Cox. But the hosts ended the powerplay well, thanks to 13 coming off the fifth over bowled by Stoinis, including a six for Livingstone, who then struck three fours off Abbott.
After Salt crunched Hardie for three consecutive sixes to get England moving, Will Jacks fell cheaply in the chase, picking out long leg for the second game in a row to extend an underwhelming start to his T20I career. Sean Abbott was the bowler, and had two in his first three balls when Jordan Cox lost his leg stump to a nip-backer.
Salt and Livingstone ticked over but Zampa briefly put the brakes on, and Head was rewarded for a bowling change which defied convention: using Short’s offspin against two right-handers. But Livingstone and Bethell combined to stunning effect, starting steadily before shifting gears to take Stoinis and Zampa down respectively.
Liam Livingstone, Bethell flay Australia in the middle overs
Perhaps being dropped from England’s ODI squad was the wake-up call that Liam Livingstone needed. After flattering to deceive while battling a series of niggling injuries over the last three years, Livingstone marked his 50th T20I cap by clubbing 87 off 47 to square the series in Cardiff, having earlier helped to drag Australia back with 2 for 16 in his three over
Chasing 194 to set up a decider in Manchester on Sunday, England slipped to 79 for 3 in the ninth over when Phil Salt miscued Matthew Short to long-on. But Livingstone combined with the precocious allrounder Jacob Bethell to add 90 in just 47 balls, and despite a major wobble against Short’s off breaks, England got home 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.
Salt scored a handy 39 before he got out to Short in the ninth over. Only two fours came in the 7-10 overs period, leaving England at 90/3 at the halfway mark of the chase. Livingstone and Bethell provided the impetus in the second half with the former scooping a couple of Green deliveries for a four and a six.
Bethell hit a maximum off Connolly, followed by an 18-run over from Stoinis as Livingstone hit two sixes to bring up a 27-ball fifty before scoring a boundary in the same over. Bethell took on Zampa, striking a six and three fours to take 20 off the 14th over. He also hit a six off Abbott to bring the equation down to 31 off the last five overs.
Liam Livingstone leads England to victory despite Matthew Short’s Fifer
England stuttered a bit in the death overs, losing quick wickets. The fourth wicket stand was ended by Short when he had Bethell bowled and also picked up the wicket of Curran in the same over. England needed 21 off the last three overs when Abbott conceded nine in the 18th. Liam Livingstone levelled the scores with a six and a four off Short before getting out soon after, and Carse became Short’s fifth scalp. But a single from Rashid helped the hosts win with an over to spare to ensure the Sunday match in Manchester will be a decider.
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, Liam Livingstone was playing for his England future this week but has delivered, twice top-scoring and taking five wickets in six overs.
It meant Liam 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.
Presentations and Road Ahead
England winning skipper Phil Salt said : “Incredible performance, what Livi did was second to none. To see Beth come out and play the way he did, pace his innings and take their best bowler down, really impressed. Knew we’d have to play well, they had a good powerplay. We talked about extending those partnerships after Southampton, nice to do it straight away. [Australia powerplay] We know how good they are, you go back to your plans.
Did we have clarity, did we execute [Bethell] He is a real talent, the way he took down Zampa, not many could do that in their second international game. [Livingstone] He’s played a lot of cricket, he’s no mug. Started really well, five wickets and 100-plus runs in two games, hopefully he can take that to Old Trafford.
[Captaincy and keeping] I’m enjoying it, feel like it’s the best place to see the game from. A win tonight keeps the series alive and gives us a good incentive at Old Trafford.”
Australia losing skipper Travis Head said : “Good score, felt we were in the hunt and got close. [Conditions] Yeah, it changed out there, but you know that at the toss. We were pretty close but it was a good innings. [Plans] You go with your gut, will sit down with Ronnie and have a chat. [Fraser-McGurk] Nice for him to get into the series.
Didn’t get the win but that’s okay. [Short] Should have bowled him earlier. We know what he’s got to offer, a nice option moving into the next game. [Captaincy] As long as I can keep the ship running for Mitch, unfortunately no win… but keep it rolling.”
Liam Livingstone the Player of the Match for his all round show said : “It’s been nice. Did say towards the end of the Hundred that I was getting my body back to normal, that’s bothered me the last couple of years. Enjoying my cricket. [Batting No.4] I do enjoy the responsibility. You can only play the hand you’ve been dealt, not easy coming in six or seven. Moving up the order has been nice, gives you more responsibility.
Tough couple of years but nice to be out here with a smile on my face. It’s something that’s hard down the order. [Bethell] Seen it over the last couple of weeks in the Hundred, incredible talent but he has a great head on young shoulders. To be out there batting with him, he’s a fearless kid and it was pretty special. [Ovation] Nice reception, big game, wanted to go to Old Trafford 1-1.”
England have squared the series. It is 1-1. Australia put up a solid score. But the Liam Livingstone show just was too hot too handle. Bethell also batted superbly and England took the game away after the 10 over mark. The next five overs saw a lot of carnage from the Liam-Bethell duo.
Australia tried everything but came a cropper. They missed Hazlewood and the dew didn’t help. Short though was handed the ball a little late, he took five wickets and did delay the inevitable a little. England slipped during the chase in the first game but not tonight. Livingstone with a power packed 87 should pocket the Player of the Match award. He picked up a couple of wickets to slow down the Aussies. One Man Show has a synonym and it is called the Liam show. England are not complaining.
Australia couldn’t get the result they wanted. But Fraser-McGurk shone through. Hardie showed umpteen positive signs. Short showed his all-round prowess and despite that Australia were outplayed by England and to an extent the dewy conditions. Liam Livingstone has been on fire in this series and couldn’t do anything wrong as he picked wickets and scored the vital runs in a breezy manner like he is known to. Bethell also took to the big stage like duck to water and the Aussies have been handed a set-back despite getting a meaty total on the board.
That means the series is level at 1-1, so we’ll go to a decider in Manchester on Sunday. Liam Livingstone was the star of the show for England with 87 off 47 balls, his partnership with Jacob Bethell breaking the back of the chase. Both batters departed, as Matthew Short somehow burgled a five-wicket haul at the death; but England had enough in the tank to flop over the line