England levelled Australia in the ongoing three-match T20 series in the second encounter in Cardiff on Friday, September 13. Given how the first 28 overs of the game went, it felt like a repeat of the series opener, however, Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell had other ideas as they made Australia, who were a bowler short, pay on what was a beautiful batting wicket even though it was seeming a bit in chilly conditions at the Sofia Gardens as England got home by three wickets.
Livingstone, who hasn't been at his best in the last few months, is slowly getting back to his best. He has been fantastic with the ball in the series but he finally got going with the bat when England needed the most. Chasing a huge total of 194, England were in a similar sort of position to the first T20I, having lost a couple of wickets early.
Stand-in skipper Phil Salt was well on his way alongside Livingstone to take his side to a position of strength before Matt Short dismissed him to put Australia ahead. However, Salt with a 23-ball 39 had ensured that England were in and around the required rate for the incoming batters to play themselves in straight away.
Jacob Bethell, for whom Adam Zampa proved to be too good in the series opener on his debut, made amends and quite destructively. Livingstone continued on his merry run despite losing Salt and since Australia had to bowl the likes of Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis being a bowler short, he feasted on them. Bethell, on the other hand, took care of Zampa.
After an 18-run over of Stoinis where Livingstone basically put him out of the attack, Bethell went 4,6,4,4 against Zampa, something not many have done these days against the leg-spinner to kill the chase.
Livingstone completed his half-century and an England win seemed like a formality before stand-in captain Travis Head introduced Matt Short again, who went on a rampage with the ball later on, but maybe a little too late.
Short first broke the 90-run partnership between Livingstone and Bethell by dismissing the latter. He then sent back Sam Curran in the same over to send a bit of a scare in England dugout.
Short was taken apart by Livingstone in his next over before he dismissed him as well and took one more to complete his five-wicket haul out of nowhere. However, by then the match was done as England needed just one to win.
Earlier, it was Jake Fraser-McGurk's maiden half-century in international cricket and cameos from Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglish and Cameron Green that helped Australia get close to 200. Head got off to a rapid start once again before Brydon Carse, who came in for Jofra Archer, put brakes on scoring. However, eventually 193 despite being a good score, wasn't enough in the end.
The series is set up for a thrilling finish now in the decider in Manchester on Sunday, September 15.
