Livingstone and Brook power England home
England made the most of a game they did not want to play yesterday as liam livingstone returned with a display of his big-hitting best and Harry Brook provided another glimpse of his emerging class. an ICC-enforced behind-closeddoors warm-up against a Pakistan side they saw enough of when they won a T20 series 4-3 last month was a trip too many for an England side who would rather have stayed in Perth.
But at least livingstone came back with a bang after an injury almost as freakish as Jonny Bairstow’s had threatened to keep him out of the early stages of the World Cup. livingstone damaged his left ankle tripping on the pavement in london in august and must have feared the worst when he slipped on the gabba turf made damp by a shower that reduced this match to 19 overs. But there were no signs of any further damage as he made 28 off 16 balls, including a six so big, depositing Shadab Khan on to the roof, that he might even have surpassed his mighty hit at Headingley, also against Pakistan last year, that sailed over the new rugby stand.
Yet livingstone was upstaged by the young pretender he may even be competing with for one place in England’s opening line-up against afghanistan in Perth on Saturday. Brook made an unbeaten 45 off 24 balls, with four sixes of his own, as England surpassed Pakistan’s 160 for eight with 26 balls to spare. There was also a breezy unbeaten 33 off 14 balls from Sam Curran, making a strong case here himself for inclusion against afghanistan, and 36 from Ben Stokes, including three sixes, that saw him edge closer towards fluency. Pakistan’s innings was a glorified practice session for England as they used eight bowlers, but they will be pleased that livingstone dismissed top-scorer Shan Masood, who made 39, with his third ball and went for just eight runs in his two overs.
Yet this was as close to a meaningless contest as an international match can possibly be and it was compounded by more baffling thinking from the ICC who angered local supporters by locking them out of this game. The thinking was it may encourage punters to stump up their cash for the World Cup matches.
‘not really,’ said England captain Jos Buttler when asked if he had learned anything from the night. ‘We just wanted to get certain things out of it and we did that.’ now for another five-and-a-halfhour plane journey back west before the serious business can begin.