Morgan: We’ll be at full tilt against Irish
EOIN Morgan promises England will be fully focused against his native Ireland despite the absence of three firstchoice players at the Indian Premier League.
Dublin-born Morgan will lead England at Bristol in the Royal London Series today, the first of two historic occasions as Ireland play international fixtures for the first time in this country - here and then at Lord’s on Sunday.
Morgan’s brief is Anglo-centric these days, of course, and he will be setting aside the significance for the opposition. Looking forward to this week, and then the Champions Trophy to come when England take on the world on home ground next month, he said: “It’s something with huge potential and which we’ve been building towards for 18 months now.
“We’ve marked it as the halfway stage to the 2019 World Cup ... we’re not taking this game for granted.
“The strength of the side we’re putting out reflects that – we’re taking it as seriously as any other fixture.”
England will be without Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler - all involved in the ongoing IPL.
Morgan insists the trio still in India will derive more benefit there than here, with Stokes lighting up the competition on Sunday with a buccaneering maiden Twenty20 century.
“To rub shoulders with some of the biggest and best names in the world and put in performances like Ben Stokes did the other night bodes well for our future development,” he said.