The series is level but it already belongs to Liam Livingstone. A handy all-round display 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 T20is.

Help was provided by Jacob Bethell, in his first week as an international cricketer, the pair putting on 90 inside eight overs to set up a successful chase of 194. The 20-year-old left-hander swept hard against spin, punishing Adam Zampa with a 20-run over on his way to a quickfire 44.

But Livingstone remained the star. While he has been discarded from the 50-over setup, this series has offered the 31-year-old a chance to bat responsibly at No 4, an opportunity to be more than a late-order slogger. So while he scooped audaciously off Cameron Green and whipped away Marcus Stoinis for consecutive sixes, there remained a desire to stick it out till the game was won.

Livingstone mainly opted for singles and hard running at the close, as Bethell and Sam Curran departed to Matt Short, and deserved some fortune with a dropped catch in the deep. He wasn’t to complete the job, bowled with the scores level, but enough maturity had already been shown. Short’s off-spin collected an unlikely five-wicket haul but Adil Rashid found a quick single to seal it.

For Livingstone, this 47-ball effort was his best innings for England, surpassing the hundred he made in a defeat by Pakistan three years ago. “I don’t really care about scoring runs in losses,” he said. “It’s all about winning games, I want to win games for England. Today I feel like I’ve done that. I’d take a first-baller to win the game. So today probably ranks as the best.”

In a match to stay in the series, England rested their premier quick, Jofra Archer. On the one hand it seemed fair, giving a breather to someone whose injury history prompts a safety-first approach. On the other, it gave rise to a lingering feeling: when was the last time a white-ball series on these shores really mattered? The regularity of World Cups has reduced the importance of the here and now.

Archer’s absence made an already difficult task even harder, that of limiting Travis Head’s carnage in the powerplay as England chose to bowl first. Having lashed a 23-ball 59 on Wednesday, Head threatened a repeat while standing in as captain for the ill Mitchell Marsh.

Saqib Mahmood and Reece Topley went for tight lines, hoping to stop Head from hitting square of wicket. No bother: he thumped the fuller ball straight for six, cut the shorter one over third man for four. Alongside Short, he took Australia to 50 in just four overs.

It took the returning man to intervene. Brydon Carse brought pace and nagging control to underline his selection for the Test tour of Pakistan. He had Head driving to Rashid at point for 31, his first two overs giving away just eight. With Rashid’s googly accounting for Short on 28, the game was turning back England’s way.

Australia’s new kid pulled it back. Jake Fraser-McGurk, 22, is one of their next big hopes, successfully tried-and-tested in the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals this year. He walked in with two ducks from his debut T20i series against Scotland last week but showed his desire for top-order adventure with a maiden international half-century, 29 balls required to get there.

Livingstone found joy with his slow stuff, forcing Fraser-McGurk and Stoinis to find Jamie Overton’s hands at long-on. But Overton could not hold on to a third when running in from deep midwicket off Mahmood’s bowling, Green the fortunate man. Green’s immediate response was a pull for six, a man in the crowd safely holding on. Overton, for his sins, collected the ball from the jubilant punter. Green and Aaron Hardie put on an unbeaten 36 inside three overs to take Australia to another impressive total, England needing to go for it from the start of the chase.

Sean Abbott caused an early derailment, dismissing Will Jacks and Jordan Cox in the fourth over. But Livingstone maintained England’s attack, dancing down to strike Stoinis over deep midwicket for six before showing Abbott could be handled, pulling the seamer away for three fours in an over.

Salt and Livingstone’s partnership progressed to 45 before ending with a punt from Head. He turned to his opening partner Short’s tweak and Salt could not find the right connection, finding Abbott at long-off for 39. With England 79 for three inside nine overs, Livingstone needed support from a gifted but raw talent in Bethell. He got it.