ENG vs NZ: Liam Livingstone feels hard work over last few months finally paid off after 2nd ODI heroics

Liam Livingstone feels that his hard work over the past few months finally paid off after his Player Of The Match performance against New Zealand in the second ODI on Sunday.

Livingstone showcased an impressive performance against New Zealand in the second ODI. The all-rounder's contribution was instrumental in England's victory, which helped level the series at 1-1.

Livingstone's unbeaten score of 95 runs off 78 balls was a key factor in England's win. This was his longest innings in terms of balls faced since a County Championship fixture for Lancashire in 2019. His performance was particularly noteworthy as it helped England recover from a precarious position of 55-5 to post a final score of 226-7. This was achieved in a rain-reduced encounter that saw the game reduced to 34 overs per side.

Livingstone's performance not only led England to a 79-run victory over New Zealand but also cemented his place in England's World Cup squad.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Livingstone admitted that 2023 had been a frustrating year for him. The all-rounder said he takes great pride when it comes to his adaptability and claimed he was looking forward to the series against New Zealand, despite his poor run of form.

Livingstone also believed that he needed just one innings to turn things around.

"It has been a frustrating year for me. I've probably overthought things at times."

"It's quite a hard role when you have a bit of time off and then come in down the order and are trying to smack it from ball one.

"My adaptability is something I pride myself on. I've had a lean couple of months but I was looking forward to this series to get a bit of time in the middle - and thankfully today went well for me.

"I just needed one innings. My hard work over the last couple of months has paid off."