“Are you saying I’m a bowler who bats?” When asked about the current role he sees himself playing in this England team, Liam Livingstone smiles in response. “I am at the moment!”
Livingstone is wanted by England to work. He is a cricket player who is as versatile as a Swiss Army knife, offering a level of variety that few players in the world game can match. He bowls legbreaks and offbreaks, hits enormous sixes, and excels in the field. Livi has one of those things in the rear, whatever you would need.
However, since the World Cup began, the batting form has completely disappeared, as evidenced by an average of 11.0 and a bowling average of 35.28. If you go back a little farther and include the September New Zealand series, in which he struck a superb 95 not out, the numbers are more accurate, but they are still incorrect. 31.27 and 26.30.
He did, however, play some of his best ball-handling in the second ODI against the West Indies. Three wickets, one of which ended Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford’s 129-run partnership, which threatened to cost England the match, and a third which bowled Hope out for 68 runs. Hope had amassed 177 runs this series against England up to that moment, all without reason for alarm. Next, Livingstone tore through a bat and pad.
To the question of whether it was his finest ODI wicket to date, Livingstone replied, “Yeah, I think so.” “I was speaking to Daws [Richard Dawson] before, it’s probably the two balls back-to-back, being able to do exactly what I wanted – to execute my plan pretty much perfectly.”
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Livingstone eliminated Hope primarily with his legbreaks, but he has also improved his offbreaks, which he uses nearly exclusively against left-handers. Although he has only claimed three wickets in his 24 ODIs, his economy of 4.95 (based on ball-by-ball data from ESPNcricinfo) indicates that he can attack as a legspinner and defend as an offbreak bowler.
“I guess the most pleasing thing for me now is I feel like I can bowl in a number of different situations and scenarios, and also be able to impact the game like I have done today,” Livingstone stated. “Well, I suppose the role I performed [on Wednesday] was very dissimilar from the one I performed the other day.
I’ve put a lot of effort into it over the course of several years. I think it’s not as natural to me as batting has become over the past five years. Therefore, even though my batting isn’t exactly at its best right now, it’s wonderful to have that.”
In addition to being a non-playing member of the Test squad that went to New Zealand in 2018, Livingstone made his T20 cricket debut for England in 2017. However, he has only pushed his way into practically being a constant in both of England’s white-ball squads during the past few years.
Livingstone’s desire hasn’t diminished despite his player-of-the-tournament performance in the Hundred’s first edition, his T20I century against Pakistan, and the occasion when he blasted the ball over the Headingley Football Stand. However, his feel with the blade is eroding due to his use as a lower-order belter. Only three times in his 48-over England innings has he faced more over 40 deliveries.
“If I knew why, I would have probably changed it by now,” Livingstone said, considering the root of his bat-related problems. “I keep showing up for training, doing my best. Maybe I should just try to relax a little bit and enjoy myself like I have my entire career—that is, go out and enjoy myself. It may be turned around in just one inning. I’ve experienced it before, and I’m confident that this period of my career will be remembered as a significant learning curve for me when things do turn around.
However, I still believe that I can have an impact on England’s cricket matches, and that’s my current biggest perk. The way the ball is leaving my hand is excellent, and I have no doubt that the bat will change course.”
Livingstone batted brilliantly for 17 runs in the first ODI before Romario Shepherd’s length delivery maintained low and trapped him leg before wicket. As England looks for a mix that lets them play both him and Sam Curran as all-rounders, he is almost a lock to start the next six white-ball matches of the tour. Livingstone has stayed impartial about the game, though, despite England’s recent World Cup woes and his own lack of form at the bat.
“Yeah, life goes on, the sun comes up.” Of his key takeaways from the World Cup campaign, Livingstone remarked. “We are extremely fortunate to be able to play cricket for our country; it’s a sport.” However, it’s not the ultimate solution. Being able to visit my grandfather, who is currently not in the best of health, at home made me very pleased. He is currently in a new phase of his life. That provides me with a really amazing viewpoint.
“There’s more to life than cricket, and cricket while we’re playing and while we’ve got this opportunity to represent our country, it should be enjoyed.”
