‘Moving up the order has given me more responsibility and more time to bat’, says Liam Livingstone

New Delhi: England’s explosive batter Liam Livingstone made his fiftieth T20I appearance memorable with an enormous 87 from Forty seven balls leading the charge for a series-levelling win for the hosts’ over Australia at Cardiff.

After the game ended, Livingstone credited his heroics to going up the batting order, giving him more responsibility and time to unleash a carnage on bowlers’. “Moving up the order has been nice, it’s given me slightly more responsibility, more time to bat. I revel within the responsibility. It’s no longer easy coming in at six or seven, it’s difficult to get right into a rhythm so moving up the order has been nice. I feel like I’m in decent nick with bat and ball,” he said.

Post the series opener at Southampton, Livingstone had talked about his struggles with form and fitness within the last few years. But his breath-taking carnage at Cardiff, laced with 5 sixes and six boundaries signalled the starting place of the all-rounder finding his groove within the shortest format for England.

“I feel like I’m getting my body back to normal. The last couple of years have taught me a large range of life lessons. I’m enjoying my cricket, it’s nice to play with a smile on my face, and that’s the main thing. I’ve had a troublesome couple of years, so it’s nice to be out here with a smile on my face,” he added.

He became also well-supported by young Jacob Bethell by strategy of an entertaining Forty four off 24 balls that featured three sixes and four fours. Bethell became signed by the Melbourne Renegades on this month’s Big Bash League In a foreign country Draft, and Livingstone said he became extremely joyful for him. “Bethell is an enormous talent. He’s got a accurately perfect head on young shoulders. He’s such an exhilarating talent. He’s a fearless kid and to play like that's pretty special.”

Similar words were echoed by England skipper Phil Salt. “Bethell is a real talent, the style he took down Zampa, there’s no longer many who may do that, accurately pleased for him. He placed on an enormous performance and what Livy (Livingstone) did became 2nd to none. We all know he’s able to that, the style he paced the innings and took their best bowler down.”

The T20I series between Australia and England will end with the decider at Old Trafford in Manchester on Sunday, and is followed by the first of 5 ODIs which takes place four days later at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.