Liam Livingstone Shines as England Levels Series Against Australia in Cardiff
Cardiff [UK], September 14: Liam Livingstone celebrated his 50th T20I cap with a stunning performance, scoring 87 off 47 balls to help England level the series 1-1 against Australia in Cardiff on Friday. The decider will be played in Manchester on Sunday.
Livingstone also contributed with the ball, taking 2 for 16 in his three overs to restrict Australia. Chasing a target of 194, England were in trouble at 79 for 3 in the ninth over when Phil Salt misjudged a shot off Matthew Short, sending it to long-on. However, Livingstone and the promising all-rounder Jacob Bethell formed a crucial partnership, adding 90 runs in just 47 balls.
Despite a brief scare against Short’s off-spin, England reached the target with an over to spare. Bethell, who made his England debut on Wednesday and was mentored by Livingstone at Birmingham Phoenix, played a significant role. He attacked Australia’s spinners, including hitting four consecutive boundaries off Adam Zampa. Though Bethell was bowled while reverse-sweeping with 25 runs still needed, Livingstone steered England to victory.
Livingstone, tasked with batting at No. 4 in a youthful team, delivered under pressure. He top-scored twice and took five wickets in six overs during the series. He was bowled by Short with scores tied.
Australia’s 193 was bolstered by Jake Fraser-McGurk’s maiden international half-century and Josh Inglis’s 42. Australia’s bowling attack struggled without Xavier Bartlett and resting Josh Hazlewood. Fraser-McGurk, given a chance at No. 3 after Mitchell Marsh fell ill, capitalized on Australia’s fast start. Short (28) and Travis Head (31) hit Reece Topley and Brydon Carse early on. Carse’s extra pace dismissed Head, while Fraser-McGurk continued aggressively, even hitting a six off Adil Rashid.
Livingstone’s tight middle-overs bowling saw Fraser-McGurk and Marcus Stoinis caught at wide long-on by Jamie Overton. Carse, returning from a ban for breaching anti-gambling regulations, took 2 for 26, including Tim David’s wicket. Overton’s drop of Cameron Green allowed Aaron Hardie to add crucial runs, pushing Australia’s total to 193.
In England’s chase, Phil Salt’s (39) initial aggression was tempered by the early dismissals of Will Jacks and Jordan Cox by Sean Abbott. Salt and Livingstone then stabilized the innings before Bethell joined Livingstone in a decisive partnership. Despite a late collapse against Short’s five-for, Adil Rashid guided the winning single through point, clinching a memorable victory for England.
Brief Scores:
| Australia | 193/6 in 20 overs |
|---|---|
| Jake Fraser-McGurk | 50 |
| Josh Inglis | 42 |
| Travis Head | 31 |
| Liam Livingstone | 2/16 |
| England | 194/7 in 19 overs |
| Liam Livingstone | 87 |
| Jacob Bethell | 44 |
| Matthew Short | 5/22 |
| Sean Abbott | 2/37 |
Doubts Revealed
Liam Livingstone -: Liam Livingstone is a cricketer from England who plays for the national team. He is known for his powerful batting and useful bowling.
50th T20I cap -: A ‘T20I cap’ means playing a T20 International match. Liam Livingstone played his 50th T20 International match in this game.
87 off 47 balls -: This means Liam Livingstone scored 87 runs by hitting the ball 47 times. It’s a way to show how fast he scored his runs.
level the series -: To ‘level the series’ means to make the number of wins equal for both teams. England won this match, making the series score 1-1.
Cardiff -: Cardiff is the capital city of Wales, which is part of the United Kingdom. The cricket match was played there.
2 for 16 -: This means Liam Livingstone took 2 wickets and gave away only 16 runs in his three overs of bowling.
Jacob Bethell -: Jacob Bethell is a young cricketer who played his first match for England in this game.
England debut -: Making a ‘debut’ means playing for the first time. Jacob Bethell played his first match for the England team.
late collapse -: A ‘late collapse’ means that many players got out quickly towards the end of the game, making it harder to win.
decider -: A ‘decider’ is the final match that will determine the winner of the series. The next match in Manchester will decide who wins the series.
Manchester -: Manchester is a city in England where the final match of the series will be played.
