England captain Eoin Morgan and head coach Trevor Bayliss in the Lord’s balcony during the World Cup match against Australia on Tuesday (AP)England captain Eoin Morgan was slammed for his ‘weakness’ by former great Kevin Pietersen after his side went down by 64 runs to Australia, thus putting the home side’s World Cup campaign in a bit of a crisis.
Pietersen said that Morgan looked scared when facing up to Mitchell Starc with the new ball in hand. “England could have a little problem over the next week or so. I hope not, but I’ve not seen a captain show such a weakness for a while,” he tweeted after the match.
The England captain stepping to square leg when Starc bowled his first delivery to him made me think England could have a little problem over the next week or so.
I hope not, but I’ve not seen a captain show such a weakness for a while…— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) June 25, 2019
Morgan came to the crease with his side in crisis early on, with the score at 15/2 in the fourth over, and James Vince and Joe Root having made early departures.
Starc, as if targeting the England captain’s weakness, bowled short and into the body to him throughout his brief innings.
Pietersen tweeted at this point: “Oh no, Eoin Morgan looked scared! That Is A Horror Sign!”
Oh no, Eoin Morgan looked scared!
That Is A Horror Sign!
— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) June 25, 2019
Morgan was able to see off the fourth over, being bowled by Starc. In the next over, he even shimmied down the track and slammed Jason Behrendorff for a four. However, that would be his only scoring shot of the day.
Facing his first ball of the sixth over, as Starc steamed in for his third over, Morgan was cramped for room again. He went for an awkward pull even as the ball kept climbing on him, managing only to get a thick top edge, which was gratefully pouched by Pat Cummins.
