England ‘full of confidence’ ahead of Kiwi clash – Morgan
Eoin Morgan is confident England can match New Zealand man for man in Cardiff – unlike in the embarrassing defeat against the same opponents in their last meeting at a global one-day international tournament.
England reached a breaking point in February 2015 when their hosts dished out an uncompromising lesson with an eight-wicket annihilation in Wellington which took less than half the scheduled 100 overs.
On return from that World Cup, England reinvented themselves, successfully unveiling a new Kiwi-style template of all-out attack little more than three months later on the way to a 3-2 home win over Brendon McCullum’s tourists.
Morgan concedes it was “men against boys” before then, but nothing of the sort now as his team set their sights on victory on today which would already book a Champions Trophy semi-final berth.
It was perhaps not top of Morgan’s wish-list to revisit uncomfortable memories. But as he dutifully did so at his prematch press conference, he said: “They were one of the favourites going into the tournament and proved that against us that day in Wellington.
“It was sort of men against boys. But I think it’s completely different now – two years down the line.
“We’ve got a completely new team, pretty much.”
In fact, up to five of that World Cup team may again be in action – including Steven Finn, who was smashed for 49 in two overs principally by the subsequently-retired McCullum.
But Morgan is talking about a new collective belief, rather than mere personnel.
“A lot of it has to do with confidence ... (and) we come into this tournament full of confidence.
“The dominant factor in New Zealand was that they had that confidence ... whereas we didn’t.”
England have selection issues to finalise, and were not helped by yesterday’s persistent rain which kept them indoors and the pitch under full cover.
Finn, back in the reckoning after the injury which ruled Chris Woakes out of the tournament, may yet come straight back into the team.