- Joined
- Oct 2, 2004
- Runs
- 217,977
"We're staying true to what we believe in and what we've achieved over the last 2 yrs" : Eoin Morgan
Q. First team through to the semifinals in your own tournament, it's all going pretty well so far, isn't it?
EOIN MORGAN: It is. If you had asked me that at the halfway stage, I probably sort of would have said it wasn't.
I thought we were probably, at the time, 10 or 15 below par, given that 320 is probably a par score regardless of the game we're playing in these days.
I thought we looked like we were getting about 340 at stages, but fell away towards the end, which is disappointing but the fact that we're still trying to win games with the bat, regardless of the situation that we're in, I think is testament to the team. We're staying true to what we believe in and what we've achieved over the last couple of years.
Q. And at 150 for 2, the chase was on, you badly needed a wicket, and you bring Mark Wood back and he gets it for you. Do you feel like you've just got the resources at the moment to do stuff for you, do you?
EOIN MORGAN: I think we do. I thought we were a bit unlucky. Throughout that partnership, I thought Kane and Ross played well, but we still sort of created half chances where a diving catch one way or the other or a ball just going into hand wasn't too far away.
So that's encouraging within itself. And I think given games that we've played against South Africa recently where we've turned games around, the game in Leeds where Amla and Faf got going, and we managed to take two wickets quite quickly and the Southampton game where we pulled it out of the bag out of nowhere, it breeds a bit of confidence.
With the inconsistency of the pitch, I thought if we genuinely did take one, we would take two.
Q. There was talk about Rash maybe not playing here because of the short straight boundaries, what made you decide to bring him in in the end?
EOIN MORGAN: Probably the opposition, convincing me more so than anything. He's always bowled well against New Zealand. I'm not sure why that is. But certainly his confidence is high against their side. So I think having a full fit Ben Stokes as well helped that decision.
Q. Just to go back to Mark Wood and that wicket for the moment, I know it was a collective bowling performance, but does that highlight why you, the management, the back room staff, have invested so much in Mark through his surgeries, that moments like -- you mentioned Amla as well in that South Africa series -- those moments that can change games and maybe clinch semifinal spots?
EOIN MORGAN: Absolutely. 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. Our batting performance was probably par or below par. So pretty average. So I thought the bowlers today as a collective unit were brilliant, really.
Q. Just looking at the next match, because you already secured your spot, but it's a do-or-die battle for Australia. What kind of -- what kind of attitude do you take into the game and how do you look at that match?
EOIN MORGAN: Very serious attitude. We never take any position that we've ever been in for granted. I think if we're truly going to be contenders for this tournament, we need to beat the best teams. And Australia are one of the best teams.
They always are going into a white ball tournament. They seem to produce limited overs cricketers at will.
So to go in to a game like that with no other attitude than winning is very important to us.
Q. I know you'll probably have a look at the pitch and the conditions in Edgbaston, but in a sense do you feel like you've kind of alighted on your best team here, the way it was a real team performance, everyone kind of chipped in with something useful?
EOIN MORGAN: Yes, I certainly think so. Like I mentioned earlier, and yesterday, having Ben Stokes being able to bowl 10 overs really does balance out the team. It's like playing four quicks.
And it allows you to maybe gamble with whatever you want -- spin-wise or batter-wise, probably not batter-wise, but bowler-wise.
Q. Just a quick question as well on Jason: For a little bit there he looked like he was sort of finding his touch with a couple of nice, crisp 4s, and you could see by his reaction how annoyed he was at the way he got out. Do you just kind of keep reiterating: Don't worry about it, keep going? Or does another kind of low score change your thinking?
EOIN MORGAN: To me it doesn't change very much. We'll obviously have a chat about the team. But certainly within a winning side, it's very hard to make changes going into a game where you don't really have much to lose.
Q. First team through to the semifinals in your own tournament, it's all going pretty well so far, isn't it?
EOIN MORGAN: It is. If you had asked me that at the halfway stage, I probably sort of would have said it wasn't.
I thought we were probably, at the time, 10 or 15 below par, given that 320 is probably a par score regardless of the game we're playing in these days.
I thought we looked like we were getting about 340 at stages, but fell away towards the end, which is disappointing but the fact that we're still trying to win games with the bat, regardless of the situation that we're in, I think is testament to the team. We're staying true to what we believe in and what we've achieved over the last couple of years.
Q. And at 150 for 2, the chase was on, you badly needed a wicket, and you bring Mark Wood back and he gets it for you. Do you feel like you've just got the resources at the moment to do stuff for you, do you?
EOIN MORGAN: I think we do. I thought we were a bit unlucky. Throughout that partnership, I thought Kane and Ross played well, but we still sort of created half chances where a diving catch one way or the other or a ball just going into hand wasn't too far away.
So that's encouraging within itself. And I think given games that we've played against South Africa recently where we've turned games around, the game in Leeds where Amla and Faf got going, and we managed to take two wickets quite quickly and the Southampton game where we pulled it out of the bag out of nowhere, it breeds a bit of confidence.
With the inconsistency of the pitch, I thought if we genuinely did take one, we would take two.
Q. There was talk about Rash maybe not playing here because of the short straight boundaries, what made you decide to bring him in in the end?
EOIN MORGAN: Probably the opposition, convincing me more so than anything. He's always bowled well against New Zealand. I'm not sure why that is. But certainly his confidence is high against their side. So I think having a full fit Ben Stokes as well helped that decision.
Q. Just to go back to Mark Wood and that wicket for the moment, I know it was a collective bowling performance, but does that highlight why you, the management, the back room staff, have invested so much in Mark through his surgeries, that moments like -- you mentioned Amla as well in that South Africa series -- those moments that can change games and maybe clinch semifinal spots?
EOIN MORGAN: Absolutely. 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. Our batting performance was probably par or below par. So pretty average. So I thought the bowlers today as a collective unit were brilliant, really.
Q. Just looking at the next match, because you already secured your spot, but it's a do-or-die battle for Australia. What kind of -- what kind of attitude do you take into the game and how do you look at that match?
EOIN MORGAN: Very serious attitude. We never take any position that we've ever been in for granted. I think if we're truly going to be contenders for this tournament, we need to beat the best teams. And Australia are one of the best teams.
They always are going into a white ball tournament. They seem to produce limited overs cricketers at will.
So to go in to a game like that with no other attitude than winning is very important to us.
Q. I know you'll probably have a look at the pitch and the conditions in Edgbaston, but in a sense do you feel like you've kind of alighted on your best team here, the way it was a real team performance, everyone kind of chipped in with something useful?
EOIN MORGAN: Yes, I certainly think so. Like I mentioned earlier, and yesterday, having Ben Stokes being able to bowl 10 overs really does balance out the team. It's like playing four quicks.
And it allows you to maybe gamble with whatever you want -- spin-wise or batter-wise, probably not batter-wise, but bowler-wise.
Q. Just a quick question as well on Jason: For a little bit there he looked like he was sort of finding his touch with a couple of nice, crisp 4s, and you could see by his reaction how annoyed he was at the way he got out. Do you just kind of keep reiterating: Don't worry about it, keep going? Or does another kind of low score change your thinking?
EOIN MORGAN: To me it doesn't change very much. We'll obviously have a chat about the team. But certainly within a winning side, it's very hard to make changes going into a game where you don't really have much to lose.
