Leeds: England skipper Eoin Morgan attributes his sides victories to the excitement among his players in the dressing room rather than their calmness. After trouncing New Zealand by 119 runs on Wednesday, Morgan revealed what went on in the dressing room when his openers Jonny Bairstow, who cracked 104 runs, and Jason Roy, who hit 60 runs, were in full flow.
“The guys are buzzing, laughing, and smiling at some of the ridiculous shots the two guys are playing,” he said. “Some of the good balls were also being hit for a four or a six.”
The skipper is pleased that his team were outstanding against the Kiwis, and hopes that positive attitude remains until the end of the tournament. “I thought we were brilliant today. It started with the two guys at the top laying the foundation. Jonny going on to get a hundred, was match-winning today,” said Morgan. “The way we’ve batted in the last two games, that certainly has been our identity over the last two years. The batsmen at the top play with absolute freedom. Our bowlers have continued to take wickets throughout the fifty overs, and I hope this positive approach continues throughout the rest of the tournament.”
So more than the victories, it is the company of the team that the skipper is enjoying more. “Like I said after the India game, the manner in which we played is more satisfying than the actual win,” said Morgan. “And once you win, you go through to the next game full of confidence, and I think today is a similar instance. I think the wicket did change after 25 overs, but in teams I have played with in the past we would have played a completely different game to 25 overs and not made the most of it. But today we did, and that probably was the winner of the game.”
According to Morgan, tapping into what his team achieved will help them in the semi-finals too. “We do introspect and try to understand what we have achieved the last two games,” he said. “That has been an extremely important part of our campaign, and one of the reasons that we have got through and been able to play some of our best cricket.”
As a team leader, he does not believe in setting unrealistic targets for his players, but surely it is important for players to push their ceiling. “We are not asking our guys to average 50 and strike it at 120,” he said. “That is not doable always. But they need to come up better than what they have done two years ago if we look at a four-year cycle. And looking at where the guys are at now, the talent they posses is incredible hopefully, they should be able to achieve on a consistent basis.”
Morgan’s mantra is simple — he does not get desperate. “We try not to be cagey or anything of that sort at any situation. That is not what will help us win matches or the World Cup.”
