Liam Livingstone leads England to victory against Australia and levels the series | Cricket

The series is evenly matched, but it already belongs to Liam Livingstone. A fine all-round performance in Southampton was followed by a match-winning 87 in Cardiff as England secured a much-needed win over Australia in the second of three T20is.

Jacob Bethell provided help in his first week as an international cricketer, with the pair making 90 in eight overs to set up a successful chase for 194. The 20-year-old left-hander swept hard against spin and punished Adam Zampa in a 20-run over on his way to a quick 44.

But Livingstone remained the star. Despite being dropped from the 50-over setup, this series offered the 31-year-old a chance to bat responsibly at No. 4, an opportunity to be more than a late-order batsman. So even though he bravely took the ball from Cameron Green and blew Marcus Stoinis off the pitch with consecutive sixes, the desire to hold on until the game was won remained.

Livingstone opted for mostly singles and hard running towards the end as Bethell and Sam Curran moved to Matt Short and got a little lucky with a missed catch in the deep. He was not to finish the job, bowling with the scores level, but he had already shown enough maturity. Short's off-spin brought an improbable five-wicket haul, but Adil Rashid found a quick single to seal it.

For Livingstone, the 47-ball performance was his best innings for England, surpassing the hundred he scored in a loss to Pakistan three years ago. “I don't really care if I score runs in defeats,” he said. “It's all about winning games and I want to win games for England. Today I feel like I've done that. I'd take a first-baller to win the game. So today's game was probably the best.”

In a game where staying in the series was at stake, England rested their best quick-starter, Jofra Archer. On the one hand, that seemed fair, as it gave a breather to someone whose injury history leads to a safety move. On the other hand, it left a lingering feeling: when was the last time a white-ball series on these shores really mattered? The regularity of World Cups has diminished the importance of the here and now.

Archer's absence made an already difficult task even more difficult: limiting Travis Head's carnage in the Powerplay as England chose to bowl first. After hitting 59 off 23 balls on Wednesday, Head threatened a repeat when he stepped in as captain for the ailing Mitchell Marsh.

Saqib Mahmood and Reece Topley went for tight lines, hoping to stop Head from hitting the square of the wicket. No problem: he hit the fuller ball straight for six, cut the shorter one over third man for four. Together with Short, he took Australia to 50 in just four overs.

It was the returner who had to step in. Brydon Carse brought pace and piercing control to underline his selection for the Test tour of Pakistan. He let Head drive to Rashid for 31, conceding just eight in his first two overs. When Rashid's googly short struck on 28, the game turned in England's favour again.

Australia's newcomer has done it. 22-year-old Jake Fraser-McGurk is one of their next big hopes, having successfully tried out the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals this year. He came out of his first T20i series against Scotland last week with two clean sheets, but showed his desire for an adventure in the upper order with his first international half-century, which took him 29 balls.

Livingstone took pleasure in his slow delivery, forcing Fraser-McGurk and Stoinis to find Jamie Overton's hands at long-on. But Overton could not hold on to a third when he ran in from deep midwicket off Mahmood's bowling, Green being the lucky one. Green's immediate response was a pull for six, a man in the crowd holding him securely. Overton, punished for his sins, snatched the ball from the jubilant punter. Green and Aaron Hardie made an unbeaten 36 in three overs to help Australia to another impressive total, with England having to give it their all from the start of the chase.

Sean Abbott caused an early derailment by removing Will Jacks and Jordan Cox in the fourth over. But Livingstone kept England's attack alive, dancing downfield to smack Stoinis over deep midwicket for six before showing Abbott could be managed by pulling the seamer away for three fours in an over.

The Salt-Livingstone partnership went to 45 before ending with a punt from Head. Relying on the correction of his opening partner Short, Salt could not find the right connection and found Abbott at long-off for 39. With England 79 for three inside nine overs, Livingstone needed the support of a gifted but inexperienced talent in Bethell. He got it.