England captain Eoin Morgan believes the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 at home in England and Wales will have a huge impact on cricket in Britain.
Eoin Morgan
Bridgetown:
“It is so powerful,” Morgan told Press Association Sport . “When a World Cup comes around, it is very similar to the impact of an Olympics or Commonwealth Games – it brings people together. Participation in sports grew after London 2012, for example, and Team GB doing so well. The World Cup can do that, too. It can boost the grassroots game.”
England has been billed as heavy favourite to lift the trophy for the first time. Since crashing out of the group stage of the 2015 edition, there was a revolution of sorts in England’s approach to limited-overs cricket, and its one-day outfit has risen to No. 1 on the ICC ranking.
It has lost just one out of the 10 series it has played at home since and has scored 6.23 runs per over during this period – comfortably the highest among all teams.
But with five ODIs against the West Indies, a solitary game against Ireland in Dublin, followed by five ODIs at home against Pakistan, there are several stops ahead of the World Cup.
“All of our build-up over the last three-and-a-half years has been towards this World Cup,” Morgan said.
However, Morgan felt England’s batsmen must curb their attacking instincts on tough Caribbean pitches to extend its dominance in the limited-overs game.
England is keen to respond to a 2-1 defeat in the three-match Test series but the world’s top-ranked ODI side is well aware of the challenges it faces to claim a 10th consecutive series success in the 50-over format.
“Coming here poses one of our stronger challenges because the surfaces do not lend themselves to expansive, aggressive cricket — it’s more about sticking to your game plan,” Morgan told reporters.
“Any side can be a threat on the day. West Indies are very strong at the moment and we’re not taking them lightly.”
With less than a hundred days to go before the premier tournament begins on 30 May, Morgan likened the impact of a tournament such as the World Cup to that of the Olympics and Commonwealth Games.
“It is so powerful,” Morgan told Press Association Sport . “When a World Cup comes around, it is very similar to the impact of an Olympics or Commonwealth Games – it brings people together. Participation in sports grew after London 2012, for example, and Team GB doing so well. The World Cup can do that, too. It can boost the grassroots game.”
England has been billed as heavy favourite to lift the trophy for the first time. Since crashing out of the group stage of the 2015 edition, there was a revolution of sorts in England’s approach to limited-overs cricket, and its one-day outfit has risen to No. 1 on the ICC ranking.
It has lost just one out of the 10 series it has played at home since and has scored 6.23 runs per over during this period – comfortably the highest among all teams.
But with five ODIs against the West Indies, a solitary game against Ireland in Dublin, followed by five ODIs at home against Pakistan, there are several stops ahead of the World Cup.
“All of our build-up over the last three-and-a-half years has been towards this World Cup,” Morgan said.
However, Morgan felt England’s batsmen must curb their attacking instincts on tough Caribbean pitches to extend its dominance in the limited-overs game.
England is keen to respond to a 2-1 defeat in the three-match Test series but the world’s top-ranked ODI side is well aware of the challenges it faces to claim a 10th consecutive series success in the 50-over format.
“Coming here poses one of our stronger challenges because the surfaces do not lend themselves to expansive, aggressive cricket — it’s more about sticking to your game plan,” Morgan told reporters.
“Any side can be a threat on the day. West Indies are very strong at the moment and we’re not taking them lightly.”