Liam Livingstone recently shared how much he enjoys the challenge of batting at No. 4 in England’s revamped T20 team.
And on Friday night, he didn’t just talk the talk—he backed it up with an incredible performance in Cardiff against Australia.
As the crowd in the Welsh capital switched between chants of “Same old Aussies, always cheating” and belting out “Sweet Caroline,” Livingstone entertained them with a barrage of boundaries.
His explosive 87 off just 47 balls set the stage for a thrilling win, securing a decider on Saturday in Manchester.
England’s Record Chase
With a challenging target of 194—one of the highest totals they’ve ever chased against Australia—England delivered when it mattered.
Jacob Bethell played a pivotal role, smashing 20 runs in a crucial over bowled by Australia’s top leg-spinner, Adam Zampa.
England chased the target with three wickets in hand and an over to spare.
While the victory should have been more comfortable, Matthew Short’s part-time off-spin briefly stalled England’s momentum.
Short managed to grab five wickets, including Livingstone’s, with the scores tied.
But after a rough loss in Southampton earlier in the week, England wasn’t about to dwell on the negatives.
Livingstone’s Power and Salt’s Early Blows
Phil Salt got things rolling early, hitting three consecutive sixes off Bournemouth-born seamer Aaron Hardie.
However, Sean Abbott quickly dismissed Will Jacks and Jordan Cox—both in the same over, with Cox falling for a duck.
Livingstone, already in form after scoring 37 during England’s loss in Southampton, seemed determined from the get-go.
In his 50th T20 international, he launched Marcus Stoinis for the first of his five sixes over wide long-on, reaching his half-century in just 27 balls.
Bethell, who started his innings a bit shakily, soon found his groove, launching a massive sweep off Zampa.
His quickfire 44 from 24 balls added to the pressure on Australia, despite a brief collapse as Short claimed his and Sam Curran’s wickets.
Carse’s Impressive Comeback
On the bowling front, Durham’s Brydon Carse made a notable international comeback after a three-month suspension due to historical betting offenses.
Carse has admitted he’s out to prove himself, and his performance in Cardiff showed why England is eager to have him back in their ranks.
In his first England game since December, Carse removed the dangerous Travis Head with a 91.3mph delivery and later sent Tim David packing for just one run.
Carse finished with figures of two for 26, underlining why he’s being considered for England’s upcoming Test tour of Pakistan.
Bowling Struggles and Missed Opportunities
While Carse impressed, England’s other bowlers struggled to adapt to the slow Cardiff pitch.
Reece Topley, Saqib Mahmood, and Curran combined to concede 114 runs in nine overs.
Livingstone, England’s tightest bowler, was once again underused, delivering just three overs for 16 runs.
The Aussies took advantage of England’s struggles.
Young talent Jake Fraser-McGurk smashed his maiden international 50 off 29 balls, with wicketkeeper Josh Inglis adding a quick 42 off 26 deliveries, including a huge six off Adil Rashid.
Curran’s expensive final over, which conceded 20 runs, gave Australia some late momentum, but it wasn’t enough to stop Livingstone’s fireworks.
What’s Next for England?
After a mixed bag of performances in Cardiff and Southampton, England will head to Manchester for the series decider.
With both teams showing flashes of brilliance, it promises to be a thrilling conclusion to the series.
All eyes will be on Livingstone once again as he leads the charge for England’s new-look T20 side.
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