LIVINGSTONE & ENGLAND’S LIVING LEGEND

Stokes backs fellow Cumbrian Liam to shine with red ball

LIAM LIVINGSTONE will make his Test debut against Pakistan as he attempts to follow in the footsteps of another hard-hitting Cumbrian all-rounder.

Ben Stokes is a tough act to follow for any cricketer.

But Livingstone, 29, has the perfect example in his captain, who hails from the same county and embodies the sort of cricket the pair love to play.

Never mind that Livingstone has not played a first-class match for 15 months and only eight in the last three years, in which his performances hardly set the world on fire.

This selection is as much about character, attitude and approach as much as it is about Livingstone’s raw ability to play red-ball cricket. In any case, he already has a robust first-class record behind him and the all-round quality that allows him to bowl both offspin and leg-spin at the drop of a hat could yet be the key that helps England unlock the Pakistani batting line-up.

He is also an established international cricketer and World Cup winner, so he should be able to handle the heat of the Test arena – even if he struggles to recognise the pristine white kit.

“When Livi got his white pads out of the bag, he turned and said, ‘What are these!’” joked Stokes (above, with Livingstone celebrating their win against Pakistan in the final of the T20 World Cup at Melbourne Cricket Ground).

“I’m looking forward to seeing him in the whites. He’s a very natural cricketer, he’s going to go out there and really express himself. Before we went out to Australia for the World Cup, I had a simple conversation with him about where he stood in terms of playing some red-ball cricket in the sub-continent – and he jumped at the opportunity.

“With the skill he has with the ball and the way he plays with the bat, he is very aligned with the way me and Baz want to see the team play.

“Having that leg-spin and off-spin possibility with Livi was a big plus for us. I don’t think that not playing a red-ball game is going to be too much of a thing for him.”

Both Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed must now wait for their opportunity to become Test cricketers, but there is a return to the pinnacle of the game for Ben Duckett at the top of the order, in another emphatic statement on how England intend to play.

Duckett (above, training in the nets yesterday) played four Tests in Bangladesh and India in 2016, but came unstuck in his trial by spin.

He returns to the side a much more confident player of spin with more sweeps, reverse sweeps and a commitment to take on the bowling.

“That’s what I used to do as a youngster,” said Duckett recently. “I’ve got back to that. I’m showing intent and I want to score quickly and put the bowlers under pressure.

“There’s no better time to play Test cricket than now, under Stokesy, and under Brendon McCullum.”

The history books say there are more Test draws in Pakistan than anywhere else and England have won just twice in 22 attempts out here.

With a first Test on Pakistan soil in 17 years, Stokes has picked a team to try to rewrite that history.