England can ‘beat the best’, says buoyant Morgan

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom: England limited overs captain Eoin Morgan said the national side had shown they “could beat the best in the world in any game of cricket” after ensuring New Zealand’s tour ended on a losing note.

Having defeated New Zealand -- who thrashed England by eight wickets at Wellington in February en route to the World Cup final -- 3-2 in a thrilling one-day international series, Morgan’s men inflicted a 56run thrashing upon the Black Caps in Tuesday’s tour-ending Twenty20 international at Old Trafford.

“This felt a million miles away after the World Cup,” said Morgan of a global tournament where England suffered a humiliating first-round exit without beating a single rival Test nation.

“This is a fantastic way to finish what has been a great month of cricket,” he added.

“When you’re trying to implement change within a group it’s important to have successes along the way and these guys have had that.

“We’ve done it the way we said we would and that’s important too.

“I want these guys to play with as much freedom as possible.”

Man-of-the-match Joe Root top-scored with 68 in England’s 191 for seven, but New Zealand were well-placed at 88 for two and requiring 104 off the last 12 overs for victory.

However, they suffered a batting collapse that saw their final five wickets lost for just four runs in 12 balls.

New Zealand were dismissed for 135, with Kane Williamson’s typically elegant 57 a rare highlight.

England Twenty20 international debutants David Willey, who also ran out Williamson with a brilliant pick-up and throw from cover, and Mark Wood took three wickets apiece.

For England, who shared a two-match Test series 1-1 with New Zealand earlier in the season, it was an ideal way to sign off before they begin their bid to regain the Ashes from Australia next month.

“Now we have won this game and the ODI series it reinforces to the guys that, it might not always come off, but we can beat the best in the world in any game of cricket,” said Morgan, not currently in England’s Test side.

By contrast, at the age of just 24, Yorkshire batsman Root is now an England mainstay in all three international formats. - AFP