The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Morgan hails bowlers as England march on
Attack sees hosts through after setting ‘below par’ target
Eoin Morgan was grateful to England’s “brilliant” bowling attack after the hosts’ 87-run win over New Zealand ensured they will qualify for the Champions Trophy semi-finals as Group A tabletoppers.
Mark Wood and Jake Ball made the most important breakthroughs, and Liam Plunkett – who finished with four for 55 – and Adil Rashid cashed in too as England defended a total of 310 all out.
Wood returned at the 30-over stage of New Zealand’s run chase in Cardiff to take the critical wicket of Kane Williamson for 87.
Ball, who had already bowled opener Luke Ronchi for a golden duck, then saw off the visiting captain’s third-wicket partner Ross Taylor to begin the Kiwis’ terminal slide from 158 for two to 223 all out, an outcome which ensures England will be back at the same venue for their semi-final next week.
Half-centuries from Joe Root (64), Jos Buttler (61 not out) and Alex Hales (56) proved enough, although Morgan admitted he was far from sure they would after England were bowled out in 49.3 overs.
Morgan agrees their tournament is going very well so far, but added: “If you had asked me that at the halfway stage, I probably would have said it wasn’t.
“I thought we were probably 10 or 15 below par given that 320 is probably a par score regardless of the game we’re playing in these days.”
It therefore needed Wood and Co to step up, and Morgan said: “Guys like him are so valuable to the team – and you can’t leave any of our bowlers out.
“I thought they did an outstanding job. They were truly the highlight of the day. I thought the bowlers today as a collective unit were brilliant, really.”
“I thought they did an outstanding job. EOIN MORGAN