Confidence is key to England's Trophy hopes, believes Morgan

Eoin Morgan is confident England can match New Zealand man for man in Cardiff '“ unlike in the embarrassing defeat against the same opponents in their last meeting at a global one-day international tournament.
England captain Eoin Morgan and Steven Finn during the nets session at Cardiff Wales Stadium yesterday (Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire).England captain Eoin Morgan and Steven Finn during the nets session at Cardiff Wales Stadium yesterday (Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire).
England captain Eoin Morgan and Steven Finn during the nets session at Cardiff Wales Stadium yesterday (Picture: Joe Giddens/PA Wire).

England reached a tipping point in February 2015 when their hosts dished out an uncompromising lesson with an eight-wicket annihilation in Wellington that took less than half the scheduled 100 overs.

On returning from that World Cup, England reinvented themselves, successfully unveiling a new Kiwi-style template of all-out attack little more than three months later on the way to a 3-2 home win over Brendon McCullum’s tourists.

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Morgan concedes it was “men against boys” before then, but nothing of the sort now as his team set their sights on victory today that would already book a Champions Trophy semi-final berth.

It was perhaps not top of Morgan’s wish-list to revisit uncomfortable memories.

But as he dutifully did so at his pre-match press conference, he said: “They were one of the favourites going into the tournament and proved that against us that day in Wellington.

“It was sort of men against boys. But I think it’s completely different now two years down the line. We’ve got a completely new team, pretty much.”

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In fact, up to five of that World Cup team may again be in action – including Steven Finn, who was smashed for 49 in two overs principally by the subsequently-retired McCullum.

But Morgan is talking about a new collective belief, rather than mere personnel.

“A lot of it has to do with confidence ... (and) we come into this tournament full of confidence.

“The dominant factor in New Zealand was that they had that confidence ... whereas we didn’t.”

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This summer’s global tournament is taking place in unsettling times, of course, after two terrorist attacks, which claimed 29 lives in under two weeks.

The second, in central London on Saturday, happened within a mile of the hotel some England players were using rather than travelling home between matches.

Morgan is satisfied, though, that his team is at ease with the increased security measures prescribed by the International Cricket Council and will take the field uncompromised by distractions.

“I think we can,” he said, referencing England’s victory over South Africa in Leeds two days after the first attack at the Manchester Arena last month.

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“I think we proved that in Leeds after what happened in Manchester.”

He is encouraging discussion of the topic, however, from any players who feel the need after the latest incident at London Bridge.

“Obviously the guys are chatting about it constantly, because it’s not very far from where we stayed and a lot of us live near to where it happened.

“So we’re always constantly talking about it, making sure everybody feels that they can talk about it and not necessarily hide away from it.

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“We certainly facilitate guys that feel they need to talk about it or have any concerns.”

He hinted that security has been noticeably enhanced although he is not at liberty to describe how.

“Visually it has,” he said.

“I can’t tell you outside of guys who have worked with us on a close basis what’s happened ... but visually, from a player’s point of view, (it has).

“I haven’t spoken to any players from other teams in the tournament. But certainly within our team, there are no concerns.”

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England have selection issues to finalise, and were not helped by yesterday’s persistent rain that kept them indoors and the pitch under full cover.

Finn, back in the reckoning after the injury that ruled Chris Woakes out of the tournament, may yet come straight back into the team.

Morgan confirmed the Middlesex seamer was an automatic choice when England needed a squad replacement for Woakes.

“Yes, he was – and it was backing up consistency in selection and trying to get guys together as a group that we’ve showed trust in over the last couple of years.

“Finn has been one of those players.

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“We’ve tried to go like for like as often as we can. But when we can’t, we go for a guy we can throw the ball to at any stage in order to try to make an impact in the game.

“Finny is one of those guys, and I’d have no hesitation in playing him (today) if we felt it was the right thing to do.”