England captain Eoin Morgan played a straight bat when asked about the chances of bolstering his pace attack for the side’s second WC match against Pakistan.
Eoin Morgan
Nottingham:
“I think there’s a good case for playing any of our bowlers,” Morgan told reporters. “We’ll have to adapt to what is thrown up. If there is anything to exploit, hopefully we’ll select the right team.” But Morgan was well aware of the attraction of an Archer-Wood partnership.
“It is exciting. It’s like saying can you add a Jason Roy 180 to a Jos Buttler 150 off 70 or 80 balls. It might happen and if it does, that would be awesome.” England has twice set world records for the highest score in a One-Day International at Nottinghamshire’s headquarters -- posting 444 for three against Pakistan in 2016 before making 481 for six against defending champion Australia last year. “To get something near that, you need to play unbelievably well,” said Morgan. “It starts with the very basics, with getting yourself into an innings and each batter starting and trying to establish a partnership.” England’s final series before the WC saw it whitewash Pakistan 4-0. The tourist, last Friday, suffered its 11th straight loss in a completed ODI .
But having seen his England side beaten by eventual tournament winner Pakistan in the semi-finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy, Morgan was taking nothing for granted. “We’re preparing for Pakistan at its best,” the Dublin-born lad insisted. “Only two years ago, it was the best side in the CT. It turned us over and turned India over. We’ll be preparing as best we can for its A-game.”
The way Pakistan batsmen were undone by a barrage of bouncers from the West Indies in their opening defeat has led to suggestions England could recall fast bowler Mark Wood. But the host, which won the opener against South Africa, might decide to stick with a winning formula rather than bring Wood in alongside Jofra Archer.
“I think there’s a good case for playing any of our bowlers,” Morgan told reporters. “We’ll have to adapt to what is thrown up. If there is anything to exploit, hopefully we’ll select the right team.” But Morgan was well aware of the attraction of an Archer-Wood partnership.
“It is exciting. It’s like saying can you add a Jason Roy 180 to a Jos Buttler 150 off 70 or 80 balls. It might happen and if it does, that would be awesome.” England has twice set world records for the highest score in a One-Day International at Nottinghamshire’s headquarters -- posting 444 for three against Pakistan in 2016 before making 481 for six against defending champion Australia last year. “To get something near that, you need to play unbelievably well,” said Morgan. “It starts with the very basics, with getting yourself into an innings and each batter starting and trying to establish a partnership.” England’s final series before the WC saw it whitewash Pakistan 4-0. The tourist, last Friday, suffered its 11th straight loss in a completed ODI .
But having seen his England side beaten by eventual tournament winner Pakistan in the semi-finals of the 2017 Champions Trophy, Morgan was taking nothing for granted. “We’re preparing for Pakistan at its best,” the Dublin-born lad insisted. “Only two years ago, it was the best side in the CT. It turned us over and turned India over. We’ll be preparing as best we can for its A-game.”