LIAM Livingstone top scored for England on Thursday as the Barrovian’s 29 not out helped Eoin Morgan’s side towards a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka during the countries’ second Twenty20 game.

Usually an opener for club side Lancashire, 27-year-old Livingstone came in at sixth in England’s batting order and managed to hit 29 runs off 26 balls at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff.

England were struggling at 36-4, but following a 40-minute rain delay, a fifth-wicket stand of 54 between Livingstone and Sam Billings ensured the hosts met a revised target, using the DLS method, of 103, before Sam Curran hit a six to cap off a fine win with 11 balls remaining.

Thursday’s victory means England have already won the three-match series with a game to spare, as the series finale takes place at the Ageas Bowl on Saturday.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bat first.

Sri Lanka opener Danushka Gunathilaka was the first to go as he was run out by Curran in the second over, before partner Avishka Fernando was caught by Livingstone at deep square leg two overs later.

A third-wicket stand between Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis, top scorer with 39, put 50 on the board for Sri Lanka across nine overs.

Perera was later caught by Adil Rashid after a reverse sweep, whereas Mendis would follow him an over later in the 14th when he was caught by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow off the bowling of Mark Wood.

Wood went onto take his second wicket of the day when Niroshan Dickwella was caught by captain Eoin Morgan.

Mendis was the only Sri Lankan to hit a boundary, until Isuru Udana came in at eighth as they posted 111-7.

In reply, England got off to a shaky start as opener Bairstow was dismissed for a duck off the bowling of Binura Fernando, before, Dawid Malan was out lbw, as the number-one ranked T2O batsman posted just four runs off five balls.

However, England’s fortunes changed when Livingstone headed to the crease after Jason Roy was dismissed for 36 in the seventh over.

Livingstone and Billings put England on 69-4 before the rain started and umpires halted play.

After the interval, Billings was dismissed after hitting a Wanindu Hasaranga delivery into his stumps during the 15th over.

However, with England only needing 13 more runs to win, Sam Curran stepped up to the crease and managed 16 runs off eight balls, hitting a six off the final delivery as England recorded 108-5.