Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes England’s middle-order unearthed a blueprint for taming leg-spinner Adam Zampa during the second T20 at Sophia Gardens on Saturday morning AEST.

England’s Liam Livingstone blasted 87 from 47 deliveries as the hosts secured a three-wicket victory in the Welsh capital, chasing the 194-target with six balls to spare to level the series at 1-1 with one match remaining.

The right-hander combined with rising star Jacob Bethell for a destructive 90-run partnership for the fourth wicket, feasting on leg-side bowling and targeting the venue’s shot boundaries.

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Australia was missing several first-choice bowlers for the second T20, including Pat Cummins (rested), Mitchell Starc (rested), Josh Hazlewood (managed), Xavier Bartlett (injured), Spencer Johnson (injured) and Nathan Ellis (injured).

Zampa was tasked with leading Australia’s inexperienced bowling attack in their absence, but he failed to control the tempo in the middle overs, finishing with figures of 0-37 from four overs.

Speaking on Sky Sports commentary, Ponting identified that Australia has struggled to win white-ball matches when the opposition gets the better of Zampa. In T20Is, the 32-year-old has taken 83 wickets at 15.20 with an economy rate of 6.38 in wins, while those numbers become 27 scalps at 40.07 with an economy of 8.49 in defeats.

“If teams do get the better of Adam Zampa, Australia find it hard to win,” Ponting said.

“He’s the key for them through those middle overs, making the breakthroughs and breaking partnerships. That didn’t happen tonight.”

England also identified that Zampa, Australia’s leading wicket-taker in men’s T20Is, poses a bigger threat to right-handed batters, with Livingstone and captain Phil Salt rotating the strike rather than attacking the New South Welshman. In Cardiff, Zampa conceded 13 runs from 13 balls while bowling to right-handed batters, while southpaw Bethell belted 26 runs off 11 deliveries against the leg-spinner.

Bethell, signed by the Melbourne Renegades in this month’s Big Bash League Draft, feasted on Zampa’s bowling in the 14th over the run chase, slapping four consecutive boundaries including a towering 100m six over long-on.

The 20-year-old had the confidence to use his feet and leave the crease while facing Zampa, skipping down the wicket and forcing the leggie to vary his lengths. It was a stark contrast to Wednesday’s series opener in Southampton where Bethell, making his international debut, was bowled for two after playing back to a full delivery from Zampa that skidded through and knocked over leg stump.

Meanwhile, Ponting criticised Australian batters Jake Fraser-McGurk and Marcus Stoinis, both of whom were dismissed by tweaker Livingstone, for their reliance on step-hit shots against England spinners, reaching away from their bodies and miscuing slogs towards long-on.

“England were willing to use their feet against the Australian spin,” Ponting continued.

“I don’t remember too many times tonight that the Australians left their crease at all.

“(England) knew where the straight boundaries were, they knew how they needed to play Adam Zampa.

“If you can find a way to get on top of a world-class spinner like Zampa, he’s the one that’s under pressure next game.”

The third and final T20 between England and Australia gets underway at Manchester’s Old Trafford on Sunday at 11.30pm AEST.