Eoin Morgan has told his England players to stay in the moment and forget the consequences of a must-win game against the team that launched their one-day revolution four years ago.
Defeat to New Zealand in Wednesday’s final World Cup group game would leave England worrying about the result of Bangladesh versus Pakistan at Lord’s on Friday.
For Morgan’s fourth-placed side the target is to reduce that fixture to dead-rubber status by chalking up a second successive win that proves the defeats to Sri Lanka and Australia are fully out of their system.
Having overcome India in part due to a clear-the-air meeting with the team psychologist David Young that reaffirmed their commitment to aggressive cricket and eased anxieties, the captain is now targeting a repeat performance.
Morgan said: “The positivity with which we played with the bat and ball [against India] has to continue. Even if we lose, if we play like that we’re doing our part and doing it our own way.”
England, back to No 1 in the rankings after Sunday’s win, are arguably the monster to New Zealand’s Dr Frankenstein, having been sparked into life by a group-stage defeat to the Black Caps during their abysmal 2015 World Cup campaign.
The eight-wicket loss in Wellington – one that saw England skittled for 123, with the target then blitzed in 74 balls before the floodlights came on – was the nadir. Speaking on the eve of this rematch, Morgan laid bare just what impact that performance had.
He said: “It was a terrible day. One of those moments in my career that will stand out for ever in my life as a day where I was devastated, not only with the way we performed but also the way we carried ourselves.”
Morgan is one of five survivors from that team, along with Joe Root, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes. Asked how the overall approach now differs, the England captain replied: “You can get too carried away, lured into worrying about consequences.
“Part of the meeting the other day was to emphasise the process we’ve been through, the hard work we’ve put in and also the hard work you have to put in to earn the right to win a game of cricket. It will be a matter of staying in the moment and trying to stick to that process.”
Morgan feels all of the teams during that 2015 World Cup were influenced by New Zealand, who combined attacking elan with a hugely likeable style and finished as runners-up. But he was able to mine more specifics from the architect, having been friends with their captain, Brendon McCullum, since they were teammates in the 2012 Indian Premier League.
McCullum has since moved into the commentary box, with Kane Williamson taking charge of the Black Caps now and applying his more laid-back touch. Boasting two centuries already this World Cup, it is hardly a stretch to say the right-hander is the prized wicket for England’s attack.
It is here where the final selection decision rests too, Liam Plunkett having replaced Moeen at Edgbaston – in part due to the short boundary and India’s proficiency against spin – but shone with figures of three for 55 in the middle overs to leave Morgan mulling over an unchanged XI.
For New Zealand, following defeats to Pakistan and Australia, the final decision rests on whether to retain Ish Sodhi, the leg-spinner, or restore either Matt Henry or Tim Southee as an additional seamer. Should Southee get the nod it would be a first outing at this World Cup for the bowler whose figures of seven for 22 left England baked in Wellington’s Cake Tin four years ago.
