The series is evenly matched, but it already belongs to Liam Livingstone. A convincing all-round performance in Southampton was followed by a match-winning 87 in Cardiff as England secured a much-needed victory over Australia in the second of three T20s.

Jacob Bethell provided help in his first week as an international cricketer, with the pair making 90 in eight overs to set up a successful chase for 194. The 20-year-old left-hander swept hard against spin and punished Adam Zampa in a 20-run over on his way to a quick 44.

But Livingstone remained the star. Despite being dropped from the 50-over setup, this series offered the 31-year-old a chance to bat responsibly at No. 4, an opportunity to be more than a late-order batsman. So even though he bravely took the ball from Cameron Green and blew Marcus Stoinis off the pitch with consecutive sixes, the desire to hold on until the game was won remained.

Livingstone opted mainly for singles and hard running towards the end as Bethell and Sam Curran moved to Matt Short, and earned some luck with a missed catch in the deep. He was not to finish the job, bowling with the scores level, but he had already shown enough maturity. Short’s off-spin brought an improbable five-wicket haul, but Adil Rashid found a quick single to seal it.

In a game where staying in the series was at stake, England gave their best quick-starter, Jofra Archer, a rest. On the one hand, it seemed fair to give a breather to someone whose injury history leads to a safety move. On the other, it left a lingering feeling: when was the last time a white-ball series on these shores really mattered? The regularity of World Cups has diminished the importance of the here and now.

Archer’s absence made an already difficult task even more difficult: limiting Travis Head’s carnage in the Powerplay as England chose to bowl first. After hitting 59 off 23 balls on Wednesday, Head threatened a repeat when he stepped in as captain for the ailing Mitchell Marsh. Saqib Mahmood and Reece Topley went for tight lines, hoping to stop Head hitting the square of the wicket. No problem: he hit the fuller ball straight for six, cut the shorter one over third man for four. He teamed up with Short to take Australia to 50 in just four overs.

The returner was the first to step in. Brydon Carse, whose three-month ban for betting offences ended in August, brought pace and piercing control to underline his selection for the Test tour of Pakistan. He had Head hit to Rashid for 31, conceding just eight in his first two overs. After Rashid’s googly short levelled the match at 28, the game turned in England’s favour again.

Australia’s newcomer has done it. 22-year-old Jake Fraser-McGurk is one of their next big hopes, having successfully proven himself in the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals earlier this year. He came out of his first T20I series against Scotland last week with two clean sheets, but showed his desire for an adventure in the upper order with his first international half-century, which took him 29 balls to score.

Livingstone took pleasure in his slow delivery, forcing Fraser-McGurk and Stoinis to find Jamie Overton’s hand at long-on. But Overton could not hold on to a third as he ran in from deep midwicket off Mahmood’s bowling, Green being the lucky one. Green’s immediate response was a pull for six, a man in the crowd holding him securely. Overton, punished for his sins, snatched the ball from the jubilant punter. Green and Aaron Hardie made an unbeaten 36 in three overs to help Australia to another impressive total, with England having to give it their all from the start of the chase.

Hardie didn’t let that happen and conceded just two in the first over with a disciplined line. Phil Salt may have just calculated too early; he countered in Hardie’s second over and sank three consecutive sixes.

But Sean Abbott showed variety, taking two quick wickets. Will Jacks found a fielder in the deep with a pace off throw before Jordan Cox was bowled out for two balls with a tight throw. Livingstone kept England’s attack going, dancing down to hit Stonis over deep midwicket for six before showing Abbott was manageable by pulling the seamer away for three fours in an over.

The Salt-Livingstone partnership grew to 46 before ending with a punt from Head. Relying on the correction of his opening partner Short, Salt could not find the right connection and found Abbott at long-off for 39. With England 79 for three inside nine overs, Livingstone needed the support of a gifted but inexperienced talent in Bethell. He got it.