England beat Australia by three wickets: second men’s T20 cricket international – as it happened
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Taha Hashim was at Sophia Gardens covering the event for us. I'll share his report with you now—goodnight!
We understand how effective they can be at the beginning of the lineup, so we'll need to stick to our strategy. I realized we needed to perform at our best to achieve that goal.
We're aware of Livi's abilities; he truly shone. We were especially impressed by how Jacob managed to tackle their top bowler. He's definitely a gifted player.
Liam has had a great start to this series, and we can only hope he carries that performance over to Old Trafford.
I believed that a score of 193 was solid and kept us competitive. Sure, the conditions shifted, but we were aware of that from the beginning. It's great for Jake to have the opportunity to participate in the series. I definitely should have brought Matt Short into the bowling attack sooner!
Liam Livingstone has been named the player of the match.
It's been great. I mentioned towards the end of The Hundred that I was finally feeling like my body was returning to its usual state, something I hadn't experienced in quite some time. The past couple of years have provided me with important life lessons. I'm really enjoying cricket now and playing with a big smile.
It's tough being placed at No. 6 and No. 7, but I'm not going to complain or make a fuss about it. However, getting a chance to bat higher in the order is great because it comes with added responsibility and more opportunities to play. I feel good about my performance with both bat and ball right now. After a few challenging years, I'm really enjoying my cricket again.
Jacob Bethell is an amazing talent, and he maintains a really level-headed approach. He’s an incredibly brave young man. The way he played today at just 20 years old was truly remarkable.
It was an important match. I was hoping to be at Old Trafford with the score tied at 1-1, and I was optimistic that the fans would rally behind us.
The topic of Simon McMahon's email is “Bethell’s six.” He advises, “There’s no point in searching for that, or even trying to pursue it…”
Liam Livingstone dominated the match, finishing with figures of 2 wickets for just 16 runs in three overs, and then electrifying the crowd with an impressive 87 runs that included five sixes. It's also worth mentioning Brydon Carse, who made an excellent comeback with his bowling, and Jacob Bethell, who played a crucial role during a pivotal moment in the game. Bethell launched a spirited attack against Adam Zampa, scoring 44 runs off just 24 deliveries, and together with Livingstone, they built a formidable partnership, adding 90 runs in just eight overs.
Australia had its highlights as well, especially Jake Fraser-McGurk achieving his first international half-century and the somewhat unexpected five wickets taken by the part-time offspinner Matt Short. Overall, it was a thrilling match of T20 cricket.
England Secures Victory By Three Wickets
19 overs: England 194-7 (J Overton 4, Rashid 1) Adil Rashid secures the win by hitting the final run, finishing the game with six balls left. This sets us up for a decisive match on Sunday.
WICKET! England Falls To 193-7 As Carse Departs
Matt Short has taken five wickets! It's unbelievable! Carse attempted to finish the game with flair but ended up giving a catch to mid-on. England only need 1 run from the last 7 balls, and in just 2.5 overs, Matt Short has more than tripled the number of T20 international wickets he had previously.
WICKET! Livingstone Bowled By Short At 87
Liam Livingstone is out with the scores tied! He hit Short for a six and a four before swinging wildly and getting bowled. As he strolls off the field, he’s clearly annoyed, but he had an impressive innings: 87 runs off 47 balls, including six fours and five sixes. At 31 years old, he might have just achieved a significant milestone in his international career.
18th over: England 181-5 (Livingstone 77, J Overton 3) A crucial moment: Matt Short, who had previously helped Australia regain control of the match with his bowling, has now missed a catch off Abbott's delivery that could have dismissed Liam Livingstone. Livingstone hit a full delivery high into the air towards the leg side; Short sprinted in from deep midwicket but couldn’t secure a difficult low catch.
England may not be hitting any boundaries, but they're managing to score on each ball. Consequently, they require 13 runs from 12 deliveries.
17th over: England 173 for 5 (Livingstone 71, J Overton 1) Jamie Overton, who usually bats at No. 7 for England, plays his first delivery and picks up a single. Short's bowling stats are impressive: 2 overs, 0 maidens, 9 runs, and 3 wickets.
WICKET! England 171-5: Curran Caught Out
Matt Short has claimed his third wicket! Curran attempted a big hit and ended up sending the ball high into the air, where Connolly made a solid catch while retreating at mid-on. England now requires 23 runs off 20 balls, and we can't completely dismiss the possibility of a dramatic collapse.
WICKET! England Falls To 169-4 As Bethell Out
The partnership has been disrupted once more! Bethell attempts to hit Short's opening delivery for a boundary but misses, resulting in him being bowled out. This gives Australia a glimmer of hope for victory and concludes an impressive knock of 44 runs from 24 balls from England's latest talent. He certainly has the skills!
16th over: England 169-3 (Livingstone 69, Bethell 44) Zampa is seen drying the ball between deliveries, indicating that the dew is playing a bigger role than it did in Southampton. As he notices Livingstone approaching, Zampa bowls much wider. Livingstone makes a good adjustment and manages to send the ball racing through the cover region for two runs.
Zampa's last over had no restrictions, but he also couldn't take any wickets, which is now a major concern for England. His usually cheerful demeanor seems to have vanished, and he finished with bowling stats of 4 overs, 37 runs, and no wickets taken, with Bethell contributing at least 25 runs to that total.
This turned out to be an even better photo than I initially thought.
15th over: England 163-3 (Livingstone 64, Bethell 43) That explosive scoring of 38 runs in just two overs has shifted the momentum firmly in England's favor. Bethell is performing exceptionally well under pressure, hitting Abbott with a powerful flat pull that sails to long leg for six runs. He’s now at 43 runs off 22 balls, while Livingstone has made 64 off 34. England seems to have discovered a solid batting partnership.
14th over: England 152-3 (Livingstone 60, Bethell 36) Jacon Bethell is no longer intimidated by Adam Zampa; he just hit him for 20 runs in this over! The 20-year-old, who is playing in just his second international match, has completely dominated one of the top white-ball bowlers in the world.
He attacked the first two balls, sending the first one over the wide mid-on for a four and then hitting a stunning six. He created some space to slice a shot to the cover boundary, followed by another powerful hit to cow corner. As I mentioned earlier, Zampa's overs would play a crucial role. England now requires 42 runs off 36 balls.
"Livingstone appears to follow a trend where he enters the game when England is struggling, helps stabilize things, and then looks poised to push for victory before getting dismissed in the mid-30s," says Tom Van der Gucht. "I can’t recall a standout innings from him that secured a win."
Perhaps tonight will be the night. So far, his best performance in a successful run chase, across both formats of limited-overs cricket, is just 30 runs. However, it's worth noting that Livingstone has a strong track record when he plays in the No. 4 or No. 5 position in T20 matches.
13th over: England 132-3 (Livingstone 60, Bethell 16) Livingstone launches two massive sixes into the leg side off Stoinis, achieving an exciting half-century in just 27 balls. He follows that up with a pull shot that takes him to 16 runs in three deliveries, before Stoinis manages to rein it in and allow only two more runs.
12th over: England 114-3 (Livingstone 43, Bethell 15) The young left-arm spinner Cooper Connolly is back in the game. Livingstone manages to barely connect with a full toss, nudging it for a single. However, Bethell makes a strong statement by expertly slog-sweeping for his first international six. Overall, it’s a solid over with one six, two singles, and a wide ball.
This situation is quite balanced. England requires 80 runs from 48 deliveries, with 12 of those being balls bowled by Zampa. Given this context, I would consider Australia to have a slight advantage.
11th over: England 105-3 (Livingstone 42, Bethell 8) Liam Livingstone is really enjoying himself, contributing nicely with both bat and ball. He hits Green for a four and follows it up with a six in an over that totals 15 runs.
Green had the last say, in a way, when the final ball struck Livingstone in the stomach, sending him tumbling to the ground.
10th over: England 90-3 (Livingstone 29, Bethell 7) Bethell is cautious facing Zampa, who dismissed him in Southampton on Wednesday. He gets a bit fortunate, nicking the final delivery of the over for a boundary. Despite that four runs, Zampa only gave away seven runs in the over; England now requires 104 runs from 60 balls.
9th over: England 83-3 (Livingstone 27, Bethell 2) Australia gained from that over, picking up five runs and a crucial wicket.
Wicket! England Falls To 79-3: Salt Out For 39
This is a significant victory for the temporary captain, Travis Head. He made a strategic move by bringing in the occasional offspinner, Matt Short, who made an immediate impact by taking a wicket with his second delivery. Salt hit the ball into the air, allowing it to be caught at long off.
8th over: England 78-2 (Salt 39, Livingstone 24) Adam Zampa begins his bowling spell flawlessly, allowing just four runs in this over. The first three deliveries are dot balls aimed at Salt, who seems to be struggling a bit at the crease. England now requires 116 runs off 72 balls.
7th over: England 74-2 (Salt 36, Livingstone 23) Cameron Green comes in to bowl instead of Stoinis. Salt sends a bad delivery around the corner for four runs, then picks up a couple of singles, bringing his total to 36 off just 17 balls. Notably, he's scored 35 runs in the last 12 deliveries.
Taking nine wickets isn’t too shabby for Australia, especially considering that Adam Zampa will be delivering four of the last thirteen overs.
6th over: England 65-2 (Salt 26, Livingstone 21) Livingstone takes a wild swing at Abbott, sending the ball racing past leg stump for four runs. A couple of misfields from Fraser-McGurk gives England an extra run, and soon after, he misjudges another flat pull from Livingstone, deflecting it over the boundary as it bounces. The crowd is really letting him have it after those two plays.
Livingstone's powerful four runs wrap up a fantastic over for England, bringing the total to 17 runs.
Phil Harrison questions England's choice of players, stating, "I have to admit that I don't get it. Why is Jamie Overton batting as a specialist? I understand they’re without Buttler and Brook, but is Overton truly the best option available? It’s perplexing to me."
We've talked about this before, but I personally appreciate the choice made regarding the No7 position. Overton has really shone in this role, and it's not as if he won't have another chance to bowl in the future. While it’s not something you’d likely see during a World Cup, that's precisely the purpose of bilateral series, right?
5th over: England 48-2 (Salt 25, Livingstone 8) Marcus Stoinis is facing a rough start in his opening over. Salt slices a thick edge for a boundary, and then Livingstone charges down the pitch to smash a massive six into the stands at cow corner. He attempts another big hit on the final ball of the over but gets fooled by a well-placed slower bouncer. Great bowling.
Colum Fordham expressed his admiration for Brydon Carse's rapid bowling during Australia's innings. He questioned whether Carse has what it takes for Test match cricket, noting that he reached speeds of up to 89 mph.
England clearly believes in him, as he has been included in the squad for the match against Pakistan. He is also a strong batter in the lower order. To be honest, I haven't always been overly impressed with his performance for England, but he really excelled tonight. One would think that the ongoing betting controversy may have affected his cricket over the past year or so.
4th over: England 35-2 (Salt 20, Livingstone 0) Abbott starts the over by delivering a fantastic off-cutter to Liam Livingstone, which deceives him and goes just past the stumps. He then curves one in the opposite direction, getting past Livingstone's defensive shot. Next, there’s a strong appeal for LBW, but the umpire says no. Australia opts for a review, although I think this one is likely missing the leg stump.
It certainly was a disappointment for Australia as they lost a review. However, Abbott's first over was impressive—he only gave away one run, which was a wide, and managed to take two crucial wickets.
WICKET: England Struggles At 34-2
Two wickets in just three deliveries! Sean Abbott cleanly bowled Jordan Cox, striking the top of middle and leg stump, putting England in a tough spot. Abbott's first two deliveries clocked in at around 75 mph, but his third ball was 10 mph faster, featuring some seam movement that completely outfoxed Cox.
WICKET! England 34-1 After Jacks Departs For 12
Sean Abbott took out his Surrey teammate Will Jacks on his very first delivery. Similar to what happened at Southampton, Jacks sent the ball high into the air towards the long leg, but this time it was Jake Fraser-McGurk who made a steady catch.
Salt Hits Three Consecutive Sixes
3rd over: England 33-0 (Salt 20, Jacks 12) After a bit of a sluggish beginning, scoring just 1 run off the first 5 deliveries, Salt goes on to hit Hardie for three consecutive sixes. He perfectly pulls the ball over midwicket and square leg, then delivers a powerful swipe over long-on that sails into the River Taff.
England really needed an over like that; they’re now just four runs short of Australia at this point.
2nd over: England 13-0 (Salt 1, Jacks 11) Wow, Travis Head has entrusted the new ball to 21-year-old left-arm spinner Cooper Connolly. This brings to mind Will Jacks being tossed to Head during the T20 World Cup, where he bowled the second over and was hit for 22 runs.
Jacks is at bat now and immediately goes on the offensive, hitting Connolly's first delivery over mid-off for four runs. After that, Connolly manages to maintain some control, allowing only a wide and three back-to-back twos to Jacks. Australia will be satisfied with that.
1st over: England 2-0 (Salt 1, Jacks 1) Aaron Hardie begins strongly with the ball, consistently bowling at a good length and delivering enough outswing to challenge the batsmen. Salt gets his first run on his fourth ball with a leading edge that falls just before mid-off, while Jacks manages to find the gap behind square for another single.
Since scoring two centuries in the Caribbean last December, Salt hasn't been in great form. Nevertheless, he's maintaining an average of 34 and a strike rate of 160.
Alright, let's see, Aaron Hardie passes it over to Phil Salt...
England Requires 194 Runs For Victory
It seems like a challenging task on a field that becomes tricky when the ball slows down. England must really step up their game during the Powerplay.
The standout players in Australia's lineup were primarily responsible for the team's success. This included Travis Head, who scored 31 runs in just 14 balls, Jake Fraser-McGurk, who impressively secured his first fifty in international play, and Aaron Hardie, who contributed a valuable 20 runs off 9 balls while batting at number 8.
20th over: Australia 193-6 (Green 13, Hardie 20) Australia wraps up their innings in style, snatching 20 runs off Sam Curran's last over. Hardie kicked things off with back-to-back boundaries, powering a shot to long on and skillfully placing one over backward point. He then sent a strong shot sailing for six over midwicket. What a hit!
Curran attempts to keep the ball just within the edges of the pitch, but he misjudges it slightly a few times. This leads to a couple more balls being bowled, but he succeeds in not allowing any additional runs.
19th over: Australia 173-6 (Green 13, Hardie 3) Australia could have been in serious trouble at 44 for five after just 6.1 overs. Green hit a pull shot off Saqib Mahmood that was poorly timed, and Overton, coming in from deep midwicket, made a big mistake by dropping the catch. Green quickly bounced back, smashing the next delivery flat and hard for six runs. A balding spectator in the stands managed to make an impressive catch before acknowledging the crowd with a wave. #baldcommunity
England attempted a leg before wicket review after a stunning yorker from Mahmood to Hardie. However, there was a slight bottom edge, and the ball was destined to miss leg stump anyway. Despite that, it was an impressive delivery from Saqib, who then showcased some additional reverse swing to outsmart Green.
Saqib performed much better than his statistics of 3 overs, 37 runs, and no wickets indicate.
18th over: Australia 161-6 (Green 2, Hardie 2) Aaron Hardie, batting at number eight, is a skilled player with a top first-class score of 174 not out, which means England must stay on their toes. Curran has a great over, utilizing a mix of cutters and slower deliveries, conceding just four runs.
The downside for England is that Australia understands the significance of slowing down their play on this surface. Nevertheless, it's been an impressive recovery: Australia has managed to score 44 runs while losing four wickets in the last six overs.
