COLLY POWER
No-fear tactics were blueprint for Morgan
EOIN MORGAN has paid tribute to the only other England skipper to have lifted a World Cup trophy by revealing the impact Paul Collingwood had on his own moment of glory.
Ten years ago tomorrow, Collingwood led his side against the West Indies in their opening match of the T20 World Cup, a competition that ended with him becoming England’s triumphant captain.
As the only man to play in both World Cupwinning sides, Morgan said Collingwood’s methods influenced his approach when it came to getting things right in the 50-over format on home soil last year.
“The 2019 team shared quite a few of the characteristics from 2010 in terms of playing with freedom and using specialists,” said Morgan.
“Colly was all about it being a new opportunity to play with no fear, he really empowered the players to play their way and it was far less structured.
“It was the first time in my career when the feeling of playing for England was so relaxed. It was more about how things felt rather than what we were doing.
“I remember it being just a really fun time and I’ve since tried to make sure that my teams enjoy their cricket as much as possible.”
In 2010, Collingwood got the blend right with coach Andy Flower giving him much more control than Peter Moores had done previously.
Inspired by what he had picked up at the IPL from the likes of Virender Sehwag, one of the game’s greats but hardly what you would call a dedicated trainer, Collingwood put an emphasis on enjoyment and belief. “That 2010 World Cup was different,” Collingwood said. “I told the players, ‘For the next three weeks everything we do is about confidence, having fun and feeling good’.
“We gave players the freedom to play their way and be destructive, and you do need the personnel to be able to do that as well.
“The two times when we have had this approach we have won World Cups.” The batting was led by
Kevin Pietersen, the man of the tournament, and late-addition gambles Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb.
The bowling, though, was arguably what really won it for England, with New Zealand’s 149 the most they conceded in a five-match winning streak that culminated in a seven-wicket victory over Australia in the final in Barbados.
Collingwood added: “People might think it was the batters who won us that World Cup, but I’ll always say it was the bowlers.
“They were magnificent, using all their skills.”
Collingwood hit the winning runs off Shane Watson, with Morgan at the other end.
Morgan revealed: “I said to Colly at the start of the over, ‘How are we going to do this? He replied, ‘I’m going to belt him into that stand over there’. And he did.”