Former Cumberland paceman Richard Gleeson has backed his Lancashire clubmate Liam Livingstone to break into the England set-up in the future.

Livingstone, who has two T20 caps to his name, toured the UAE with England Lions last year and is currently impressing in the South African Mzansi League with Cape Town Blitz before he heads down to Australia to play for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League.

Gleeson goes back a long way with the 26-year-old Barrovian, having played alongside him a decade alongside him for Cumberland, on his way to earning his own move to country cricket with Northamptonshire.

“I think he was about 16 and he still has the same swagger now as he did, then,” said Gleeson, who has been in the thick of things alongside Luke Wright and England all-rounder Moeen Ali this week for Team Abu Dhabi in the T10 League competition.

“To go on and do the things he has gone on to do is great for Cumbrian cricket. I think he can go even further, as well, having gone for so much in ‘The Hundred’ draft [joining Birmingham Phoenix].

“Obviously, he has played in the IPL [Indian Premier League] and goes around the world playing in all these comps. But he definitely has [an] England call-up on his mind and, overall, that’s what I think he desperately wants.

“If he keeps doing what he’s doing, I’m sure he will get there.”