Liam Livingstone’s tricky start to life back in England continued yesterday as Lancashire fell to a four-wicket defeat at holders Hampshire in the semi-finals of the Royal London One-Day Cup.

The 25-year-old former Red Rose captain was dismissed for 22 as the visitors were bowled out for a sub-par 241 at the Ageas Bowl.

Although he took the late wicket of Rilee Rossouw, Hampshire managed to chase down their target with six balls to spare and reach the final at Lord’s, largely thanks to the South African’s brilliant 85 off 109 balls.

Livingstone made just four in Lancashire’s six-wicket play-off victory over Middlesex last Friday in what was his first match back in the country since his three-month spell overseas in first the Pakistan Super League then the Indian Premier League.

His was the first Lancashire wicket to fall in this match, as he was taken on the legside boundary by Mason Crane off the bowling of West Indies international Fidel Edwards in the eighth over.

His fellow opener Keaton Jennings top-scored with 63 and Jake Lehmann contributed a useful 62, but they were the only two visiting batsmen to get past 50, as their side collapsed from 231-5.

Veteran seamer Gareth Berg did most of the damage for Hampshire in taking a brilliant 5-26 off 6.4 overs, while spinner Crane chipped in with 3-42.

However, Saqib Mahmood (3-46) raised Lancashire hopes when he removed opener Tom Alsop five balls into Hampshire’s reply before dismissing Aneurin Donald (3) and Sam Northeast (1) to leave the hosts teetering on 23-3.

But a fourth-wicket partnership worth 122 between James Vince (79) and Rossouw turned the match back their way and victory was eventually secured by a single from James Fuller.