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ENG vs AUS 2024, ENG vs AUS 2nd T20I, Match Report, 13 September 2024

England 194 for 7 (Livingstone 87, Bethell 44, Salt 39, Short 5-22) beat Australia 193 for 6 (Fraser-McGurk 50, Inglis 42, Head 31) with three wickets

Perhaps being dropped from England's ODI squad was the wake-up call Liam Livingstone needed. Having continued to deceive over the past three years despite a series of nagging injuries, Livingstone celebrated his 50th T20I match by scoring 87 off 47 to level the series in Cardiff. He had earlier helped rallies Australia with 2 for 16 in his three overs.

England battled to 194 in Manchester on Sunday to set up a decider, but slipped to 79 for 3 in the ninth over when Phil Salt sent Matthew Short to long-on with a miscue. But Livingstone combined with precocious all-rounder Jacob Bethell to score 90 in just 47 balls, and despite a major wobble against Short's offbreaks, England came home an over ahead.

Bethell was given his first England cap by Livingstone on Wednesday after being coached by him at Birmingham Phoenix in the Hundred. They inspired each other: While Livingstone attacked Australia's faltering seam attack, Bethell took down their spinners – including four consecutive boundaries from Adam Zampa that put an end to the chase.

Bethell retired with 25 to spare, losing his off stump on the reverse sweep, but Livingstone took England home. Given the responsibility of batting at number 4 in a young side, Livingstone was playing for his England future this week, but he delivered, top-scoring twice and taking five wickets in six overs.

Livingstone was thus responding to a long-standing accusation that he had often shown flashes of talent in international cricket but had rarely won a match for England. Although he did not manage to hit the decisive blow – he was bowled out when the score was tied while trying to hit Short for six – this was still a match-deciding innings with five sixes.

He sent a loud, sold-out Cardiff crowd home happy. “I've hit the ball better than that but in terms of situations and scenarios, I don't really care if I score points when I lose,” Livingstone said. “It's all about winning games: I want to win games for England and today I feel like I've done that.”

Australia's total of 193 was largely down to Jake Fraser-McGurk's first international half-century, with Josh Inglis contributing 42. After another fast start, they fell behind, but seemed to lack quality bowling with Xavier Bartlett missing due to a side strain and Josh Hazlewood rested – and so it turned out.

The rooster crows

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 a chance at No. 3.

He came in after another fast start from Australia's new opening pair: Short hit Reece Topley for a six and two fours in the first over before Head made 31 off 13 balls, including two massive sixes in a row. Brydon Carse's extra pace made the difference: Head hit his second ball, clocked at 91.3 mph, straight to short cover.

Fraser-McGurk got off to a flying start himself, hitting three consecutive boundaries off Sam Curran as Australia reached 67 for 1 in the Powerplay. After initially struggling to catch Adil Rashid, he then smashed a floating legbreak back to the ground for a straight six – but Rashid then cleared Short with a trademark googly for 28.

Livingstone kept things tight in the middle and had both Fraser-McGurk and Marcus Stoinis caught by Jamie Overton at wide long-on – but not before Fraser-McGurk had boldly tossed the wasteful Topley over deep point for six.

Carse hit two consecutive fours from Inglis, who scored 42, but Tim David was caught behind him with his last ball. He finished with 2 for 26 in his first international match since being banned for breaching anti-gambling regulations, having replaced the rested Jofra Archer. But Overton blasted Cameron Green at deep midwicket and Aaron Hardie punished Curran in the last over, leaving Australia for 193.

England’s late stumble

After Salt Hardie smashed three sixes in a row to get England going, Will Jacks fell cheaply in the chase and was caught long leg for the second consecutive time, continuing his disappointing 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 went well, but Zampa slowed briefly and Head was rewarded for a bowling change that defied convention: he used shorts offspin against two right-handers. But Livingstone and Bethell combined to astonishing effect, playing steadily at first before switching gears and bringing down Stoinis and Zampa respectively.

England did their best to mess things up and Short picked up his first five-for in a professional career spanning 233 matches: Bethell was bowled backwards, Curran chose extra cover, Livingstone ran past a straight and Carse chose mid-on. With Short on a hat-trick, Rashid steered the winning single away through point.

Matt Roller is deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98

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