England vs Australia: Rain delays start of third T20 at Old Trafford, pitch inspection at 4.15pm

Hey there, it’s Tyers! I hope you’re having a relaxing or fun Sunday. Welcome to our live blog covering the T20 international match between England and Australia, taking place at Old Trafford. This is the third and final game of the series, with each team having won one match so far.

Jacob Bethell has kicked off his England career in a very impressive manner.

Introduced as part of England’s revival in limited-overs cricket, Bethell was called a potential “superstar” by interim head coach Marcus Trescothick just before the start of the three-match T20 series against Australia this week.

After his family arranged a visit from their home in Barbados to watch him play, Bethell delivered three decent overs of spin bowling and scored two runs before getting out, as Australia won the match at the Utilita Bowl.

However, Bethell highlighted why he has been recognized for his potential on Friday, scoring an impressive 44 runs off only 24 balls in Cardiff, helping England tie the series.

"There's clearly a lot that comes with making your debut, like all the behind-the-scenes activities and the cap ceremonies, which are really special and heartfelt," the 20-year-old shared.

"It can be tough to concentrate on the cricket during moments like that, so I'm glad to have moved past it. It was a memorable evening, but it felt great to dive into the game in Cardiff and deliver a strong performance."

The second T20 match was uncertain when Bethell came to bat, with England sitting at 79 for three while chasing a target of 194. However, he formed a strong partnership with Liam Livingstone, scoring 90 runs together in just 47 balls, making significant progress towards reaching the target.

One key moment that may have shifted the game in England’s favor was Bethell scoring 20 runs in just five balls against Australia’s top bowler, Adam Zampa, who had actually dismissed the young player just two days prior.

Bethell skillfully utilized his footwork to unsettle the leg-spinner, scoring four consecutive boundaries. This set the stage for Livingstone, whose impressive 87 runs off 47 balls helped secure a three-wicket win with six balls remaining.

"That's the experience of playing in the middle order," Bethell explained. "You often step up when the game's outcome is uncertain. Livi was doing a great job, so I aimed to avoid adding any stress to his performance."

"I aimed to focus on delivering solid shots and rotating the strike until a favorable matchup presented itself, which I seized upon. Thankfully, it turned out well."

"It's clear that Zampa is an exceptional bowler, so being able to achieve that against him was fantastic."