Eoin: England at No.1 so let’s get excited!

EOIN MORGAN has told England fans to “get excited” about their World Cup hopes after his team reached No.1 in the ODI rankings a year out from the tournament.

With the rankings officially updated on May 1 each year, England leapfrogged India to sit in top spot for the first time since 2012 when the team spent five months at No.1. The England captain said: “It is an acknowledgement of the cricket we have played over the last two or three years – you’ve got to get excited. It has given us an identity as a team – and that has given us a huge sense of purpose.

“We have created a bit of expectation, which is really healthy within the side and, hopefully, that continues. England’s recent rise has been powered by Jonny Bairstow (above), with his fellow batsmen given the freedom to play their shots. Morgan added: “After the 2015 World Cup we were miles behind the game. We needed to take the bull by the horns and make drastic changes.

“From then on the big factor that turned it around was that everyone knew what we were trying to do.”