England vs Australia third T20 prediction and cricket betting tips

Where to watch England vs Australia

Sky Sports Cricket & BBC One, 2.30pm Sunday

Best bet

Phil Salt top England runscorer
1pt 10-3 bet365

Sean Abbott top Australia wicket-taker
1pt 10-3 bet365

England vs Australia third T20 prediction

An explosive innings from Liam Livingstone helped England level their T20 series against Australia at one game apiece in Cardiff on Friday night.

Old Trafford is the venue for the third and final rubber but the Manchester rain could have a big bearing on Sunday's series decider.

Rain is forecast for much of the day in the North West so there is the possibility of a reduced-overs match should play be possible.

Livingstone's 87 from 47 balls and a rapid 44 from Jacob Bethell on only his second international appearance helped England equal their highest successful T20 run chase at Sophia Gardens on Friday after Australia had won the series opener by 28 runs at the Rose Bowl two days earlier.

England's stand-in skipper Phil Salt scored 20 in Southampton and 39 from 23 balls on Friday, and the opener could be a decent bet to lead from the front for the hosts given the potential for a rain-curtailed contest.

Salt, who will be at home on the Old Trafford surface as a Lancashire and Manchester Originals player, has been one of England's more consistent performers in T20s of late and can make his mark at the top of the order.

The fact opening batsman and part-time spinner Matt Short was Australia's leading wicket-taker in Cardiff with five for 22 from three overs speaks volumes about the tourists' bowling performance in the second contest.

Australia used seven different bowlers at Sophia Gardens and their pace attack is nowhere near as fearsome without rested duo Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.

All-rounder Sean Abbott has offset the star pair's absence with three wickets in the first T20 and two in the second, claiming the scalps of Phil Salt, Will Jacks and Jordan Cox in that time, and he is no stranger to English conditions from his time with Surrey.

Abbott has taken at least two wickets in four of his last five T20 internationals and could again be the Aussies' most potent threat with the ball. 

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