Liam Livingstone hopeful of earning England Test debut against New Zealand
"I'm just trying to get involved with the group, score a few runs, impress a few people and see what happens"
Thursday 15 March 2018 12:42, UK
Liam Livingstone, hopeful of earning a Test debut, says he is treating England's warm-up games for the Test series against New Zealand as if the series proper is already underway.
Far from resembling a first-class fixture, let alone a Test match, England lost 14 wickets during their first innings on day two of their warm-up game against a New Zealand XI in Hamilton, but Livingstone impressed, top-scoring with 88.
Livingstone is in the Test squad for the first time after several impressive stints with the England Lions, which he credits as helping him make the step up.
"It was nice for me to get some runs out there," said Livingstone. "I was pretty disappointed to get out the way I did, at the time I did, but I actually felt pretty good in the middle.
"I'm just trying to get involved with the group, score a few runs, impress a few people and see what happens. Keep an open mind, open eyes, open ears and learn off the best players in the world like we've got in our dressing room.
"Because it's quite a short series, we were preparing for this like it was the first Test match and trying to use our game plans as though it was day one of the series. That's certainly the way I tried to approach it.
"That's the difference to the Lions; the England environment is all about performance, whereas the Lions it's all about development.
"But the Lions do try to replicate what the England dressing room is all about, and it's nice having played already with a few of the boys that are in the dressing room. I think that has helped me - it makes you settle in a bit quicker."
England batting coach, Graham Thorpe, who himself has worked with Livingstone and the Lions before, says the Lancashire batsman has deserved his opportunity and that he could yet force his way into the team for the first Test.
"He has fitted in very easily into the dressing room," Thorpe said. "People might say he's not in the potential starting XI for the first Test, but he has proven himself in this game - he has come out, been very busy at the crease, started with real intent and shown the head coach what he is capable of. That's what you want.
"He has been on a couple of Lions tours before and has impressed - that's why he has been given the opportunity here.
"For a few of the other guys, it's probably a bit of a reminder, a kick up the backside to say you've got to get up to speed pretty quickly."
Livingstone is most likely battling with James Vince for a starting spot in the first Test after the Hampshire batsman impressed again only in flashes in the Ashes tour of Australia - two fifties in five Tests, averaging 26.88.
Vince scored 45 runs in the day as England batted in Hamilton and Thorpe believes he is looking better balanced at the crease after some time away from the game.
"One of the challenges that has been thrown towards James has been shot selection, can he go on to make a big score?" added Thorpe.
"When players start out their Test careers, it's not uncommon for some good performances to be interspersed with getting out in similar ways. James is 27 years old now, and that's around the age where you really start to mature as a cricketer.
"He has been able to reflect, make some small changes, and has looked a lot more balanced at the crease, striking the ball nicely. That's good to see.
"We hope that he continues to progress, learn from some of the mistakes he has made and just be that little bit more ruthless when he does get in."
Live Test Cricket
Watch England take on New Zealand in the first of two Test matches live on Sky Sports Cricket from 12am on Thursday, March 22.
