Liam Livingstone stars in England fightback to stage ODI sequence vs New Zealand
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iam Livingstone’s rescue act bailed out England’s high order earlier than a fantastic bowling efficiency noticed Jos Buttler’s facet declare a series-levelling victory over New Zealand within the Second ODI at Southampton.
In an innings shortened to 34 overs due to rain, England have been lowered to 55 for 5 by a fantastic new-ball spell from Trent Boult, however Livingstone’s arrival on the crease marked the beginning of an outstanding restoration because the all-rounder backed up a half-century within the sequence opener to cement his Cricket World Cup place.
Batting at No7, Livingstone struck an unbeaten 95 from simply 78 balls, by some margin his highest rating in ODI cricket, and shared a significant hundred partnership with Sam Curran because the hosts scrambled to 226 for seven.
The Black Caps had chased brilliantly to win the First ODI by eight wickets in Cardiff on Friday evening, however three wickets apiece for Reece Topley and David Willey noticed the vacationers skittled 79 runs quick right here, regardless of Daryll Mitchell’s half-century.
After a three-hour rain delay and a belated toss gained by touring skipper Tom Latham, Boult might hardly have requested for extra ultimate situations wherein to make his New Zealand return, this the seamer’s first worldwide cricket since final 12 months’s T20 World Cup after he opted out of a central contract.
The left-armer struck thrice within the house of eight balls to account for the high-class trio of Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Ben Stokes earlier than the top of a condensed powerplay as England have been left clinging on at eight for 3.
With Jason Roy nonetheless battling a again spasm and Dawid Malan absent after welcoming the start of his second baby, Harry Brook was afforded one other alternative to push his World Cup case as a makeshift opener however, as in Cardiff, didn’t benefit from it. When the Yorkshireman was caught off the bowling of Matt Henry, England’s high 4 had contributed simply 9 runs between them.
In a shortened recreation, although, no rebuild might afford to be too tentative and Buttler’s aggression towards the ultimate over of Boult’s opening spell marked the beginning of a momentum shift. The captain ultimately chopped on to Mitchell Santner for 30 from 25 balls however Moeen Ali sought to counter-attack in related trend, launching Rachin Ravindra onto the concourse earlier than succumbing for 33 to an excellent diving catch by Glenn Phillips, fearless in a full-length belly-flop onto the hardened sq..
Livingstone, usually pigeonholed as a big-hitting finisher, performed at a tempo completely suited to the duty, working by way of the gears as he took 17 runs off one Tim Southee over, not by muscling into the stands however as a substitute timing crisply by way of cowl and dabbing neatly to third-man.
The 30-year-old’s half-century got here from 47 balls as England powered in direction of the sort of complete that had regarded unbelievable within the midst of their high order collapse, and in circumstances which may have permitted extra egocentric farming of the strike, a primary ODI hundred might properly have been on the playing cards, too.
Willey had been starved of the brand new ball in Cardiff however made full use of it right here, losing a evaluate for caught-behind from his first supply however making fast amends by placing together with his second as Finn Allen was bowled for nought.
Gus Atkinson was spectacular as soon as extra, claiming the important thing wicket of Devon Conway having hurried the opener together with his additional tempo, whereas Surrey teammate Topley returned to type following a lean run, his trio of wickets in a game-changing middle-over spell decreasing the vacationers from 111 for 3 to go away the chase ailing at 123 for six.
For so long as common thorn Mitchell remained, England weren’t protected, however the centurion of two nights in the past got here unstuck towards Moeen Ali’s full ball, clubbing to mid-off to provide the spinner his a centesimal ODI wicket.