• Livingstone turns tide for England

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    Liam Livingstone’s unbeaten 95 powered England to a 79-run win over New Zealand in the second ODI in Southampton on Sunday.

    England, who begin the defence of their World Cup title against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on 5 October, collapsed to 8-3 in a match reduced by rain to 34 overs per side.

    They were still struggling at 55-5 in the 13th over when Livingstone came into bat.

    But he took England to 226-7 and New Zealand were then dismissed for 147 as the hosts levelled the four-match series at 1-1

    Reece Topley, whose 3-27 ended a wait of over a year for an ODI wicket, and fellow left-arm quick David Willey (3-34) did the damage with the ball.

    New Zealand great Trent Boult had marked his 100th ODI – and first in nearly a year – by taking the first three England wickets wickets to fall, the veteran left-arm quick removing Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Ben Stokes.


    But Livingstone’s career-best ODI innings, a tribute to his composure as much as his celebrated hitting power, bolstered the total and enhanced his prospects of selection for England’s final 15-man World Cup squad.

    Sam Curran (42) offered fellow all-rounder Livingstone excellent support in a sixth-wicket stand of 112 in 77 balls.

    “I wouldn’t quite say it was a rescue mission,” said Man of the Match Livingstone. “We pride ourselves on depth in our batting and getting out of situations like today. I thought Sammy [Curran] batted really well.”

    Livingstone, whose 52 was a rare England highlight during their comprehensive eight-wicket defeat by New Zealand at Sophia Gardens on Friday, added: “It has been a frustrating year for me …The innings at Cardiff did myself the world of good.”

    England captain Jos Buttler was elated after a victory that ended a run of three straight white-ball losses to New Zealand, who won the last two matches of a drawn T20I series.

    “From the position we found ourselves in to post a score was credit to the way we wanted to play,” he said. “The partnership between Livingstone and Curran was fantastic.”

    New Zealand skipper Tom Latham added: “I think we’re disappointed, we started outstandingly with Trent Boult back in the mix …Setting a score is probably harder [in a 34-over match] than knowing what was needed to do. It was a great innings from Liam Livingstone, credit to him.”

    New Zealand, defeated by England in a dramatic 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s, lost a wicket to the second ball of their chase when the big-hitting Finn Allen was bowled for a duck by Willey.

    Devon Conway, fresh from a hundred in Cardiff, was then caught behind off fast bowler Gus Atkinson for 14.

    Off-spinner Moeen Ali then struck twice in three balls, with Daryl Mitchell – who also made a Cardiff century – falling for 57 to leave New Zealand on the brink at 140-8 before Willey polished off the tail.

    Earlier, Boult ripped through England’s top order after Latham won the toss at a then overcast Rose Bowl.

    Boult had Bairstow superbly caught one-handed by Mitchell Santner at cover and, two balls later, dismissed Root for a second-ball nought with an inswinger. It was Root’s fourth duck in his last 10 ODI innings.

    England were three down when Stokes (one) miscued Boult. The 34-year-old Boult had taken a remarkable three wickets for no runs in eight balls.

    But Livingstone and Moeen stopped the rot during a stand of 48 before Curran added fresh impetus.

    Livingstone demonstrated his game awareness by not hitting a six until 73 balls into his innings when he pulled paceman Matt Henry.

    The series continues at The Oval on Wednesday.

    © Agence France-Presse

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    Simon Borchardt