MORG FOOL ME
Captain admits his mistake let the Kiwis back in against his inexperienced England batsmen and sparked collapse
EOIN MORGAN admits his mistake allowed New Zealand to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat in the third T20.
As the most experienced player in a team of relative newbies, Morgan confessed he opened the floodgates for the Kiwis, who take a 2-1 lead into the final two matches of the series.
With a raw team around him, totalling 142 caps between them including his own contribution of 83, it was down to the skipper to show them how things are done at this level.
But with 42 needed from 31 balls and eight wickets in hand, Morgan got carried away trying to smash Mitchell Santner.
The plan backfired as England lost their next five wickets for 10 runs in 18 balls and with it went the game.
“I just felt everything was in my favour,” said Morgan after the 14-run defeat. “He’s done me in the air a little bit, it’s a littler bit fuller than I thought.
“The two previous sixes I hit went quite a long way so I thought even a mishit might go – my mistake.
“I think that’s one that got away from us. I thought we were in control in the whole chase before we went three or four down. The lack of experience may have cost us.
“It’s great how competitive the series is so far and integrating everyone into the squad, but we feel that’s one that got away.”
Morgan integrated two more new faces in Nelson, with batsman Tom Banton and legspinner Matt Parkinson the last two members of the squad to make their England debuts. There was plenty of excitement about Banton’s arrival and the crunching cover drive for four followed by a flick for six off Lockie Ferguson were encouraging.
So too was the first international wicket for Parkinson when he bowled Tim Seifert through his legs. Less positive was the inability of Dawid Malan and James Vince – two players with plenty of international pedigree – to see the run chase home, with their 55 and 49 respectively not quite cutting it.
“Now we do need to learn and not make mistakes throughout the whole series,” added Morgan.
“Today is the most inexperienced side that we will field.
“They have to learn fast and they have to play games in situations like that. You can’t say your senior players always have to support them and nurture them.
“The reality of it is there is only a certain amount of it that you can do, guys need to go out and perform as well.”