I will do it my own way, insists captain Morgan

ENGLAND captain Eoin Morgan has vowed to do things his own way as the clock counts down to the 2019 World Cup, but is happy for his predecessor Sir Alastair Cook to talk his side up as tournament favourites.

Cook was axed as captain shortly before the 2015 World Cup, with Morgan hastily installed ahead of the competition in Australia and New Zealand.

It proved a calamitous campaign, but the Irishman has overseen a white-ball revolution in the intervening four years leaving England as world No 1 in the 50-over format.

Cook, speaking with 100 days to go until the competition begins, became the latest high-profile pundit to back England, noting they are “feared throughout the world” and tipping them not to repeat the sins of past editions.

Morgan’s response came from Barbados, on the eve of the first one-day international against the West Indies, and he welcomed the plaudits.

“There’s a chance well go in favourites, we’ve spoke about it and don’t mind the tag,” said Morgan. “We’ve learned to be at ease with it in the last few series. But it doesn’t really mean anything – you have to produce to be rewarded and have a bit of luck as well.

“To handle it my own way is first and foremost a priority; it’s something that I’ve done since I’ve been captain and will continue to do.

“Every series that we’ve played has almost been a rehearsal for the build-up for the big occasion so I can’t imagine anything is going to change.

“The reason we’re excited about it because we’ve been building to it for so long.

“Expectations are high in that everyone expects us to win, but the manner in which we do will play out differently to how people expect,” Morgan added.

“The West Indies will be tough and everyone in our dressing room knows that. It’s not an easy place to come and win particularly when they have a lot of match winners.”

West Indies (possible): J Campbell, C Gayle, S Hope, D Bravo, S Hetmyer, N Pooran (wkt), J Holder (c), A Nurse, F Allen, S Cottrell, O Thomas.

England (possible): J Roy, J Bairstow, J Root, E Morgan (c), B Stokes, J Buttler (wkt), M Ali, C Woakes, A Rashid, L Plunkett, M Wood.