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Eoin Morgan has said England are ready for the World Cup and ‘would like to start playing tomorrow’.
Eoin Morgan has said England are ready for the World Cup and ‘would like to start playing tomorrow’. Photograph: Luke Walker/Getty Images for ECB
Eoin Morgan has said England are ready for the World Cup and ‘would like to start playing tomorrow’. Photograph: Luke Walker/Getty Images for ECB

Eoin Morgan says England are ‘as ready as we can be’ for World Cup campaign

This article is more than 4 years old
Captain desperate to get going with South Africa opener
Jofra Archer believes he is ready to deal with pressure

A confident Eoin Morgan declared England to be “in the best possible place” and simply desperate for the World Cup to start after their 15-man squad and a new retro-looking kit were officially unveiled on Tuesday.

There are nine days to go before England’s much-anticipated curtain-raiser against South Africa at the Oval, with the world’s No 1-ranked side knowing this summer represents a once in a generation chance to end their hunt for a maiden 50-over global trophy. The 4-0 series victory over Pakistan, achieved despite heavy rotation of players, was ideal preparation. Jofra Archer was successfully integrated into the set‑up and impressed during his fleeting appearances, while Morgan was able to take a final view on Joe Denly and decide that Liam Dawson represents the better bet as the back-up spinner.

Speaking at the launch of the team’s New Balance strip – a pastel affair that lends a heavy nod to the England team that were beaten finalists in 1992 – the captain’s desire to get warm-up games against Australia [on Saturday] and Afghanistan [on Monday] out of the way was apparent.

“We are all keen to get going. We’re as ready as we can be,” said Morgan. “We have absolutely no regrets. We’re positioned in the best possible place at the moment. We’d like to start playing tomorrow. We’ve had some really good prep against Pakistan – I don’t think it could have gone better with the chopping and changing. Everyone just wants to get on with the tournament.”

Morgan has reassured Denly and David Willey, the unlucky players to miss out, that they may well yet feature in the tournament as injury replacements. He said the decision over the latter was among the hardest he has had to make in the job but, ultimately, Archer’s late surge after qualifying for selection two months ago proved too difficult to resist. He said: “Jofra has come in and done exactly what he’s been doing for Sussex and other franchise teams around the world. He’s very young with a lot of cricket ahead and if he continues to improve throughout his career he’s a very exciting prospect. It is [hard on Willey] but a tough decision had to be made and hopefully the right one for the squad.”

Cricket World Cup 2019: Ed Smith explains England's squad selection – video

Morgan’s enthusiasm for Archer is widely shared, not least by the national selector, Ed Smith, who felt vindicated by the fast bowler’s early summer showing when hailing an “exciting and dynamic” cricketer with “special gifts”.

These gifts have trumped a relative lack of experience, with Archer having sent down 26 overs in international cricket and played 17 List A games overall. Certainly the player is confident that his exploits on the Twenty20 circuit can translate to the 50-over format, such that two of the world’s most prized scalps are now in his crosshairs.

“I think I’m ready,” Archer told Sky Sports News. “I’ve played a lot of cricket outside of 50 overs so I know how to deal with pressure and crowds. You don’t forget how to bowl and you get more opportunity than in T20 – it’s an extra six overs to take more wickets.

“I’d quite like to get Virat Kohli out because I wasn’t able to in the Indian Premier League. Chris Gayle as well. I probably have a bigger advantage over some of the other guys in our team. We play [these batsmen] twice a season in the IPL, so you know their weaknesses and strengths. It gets you an extra bit of inside information.”

Joe Root, England’s Test captain, has already said that the Sussex man’s 90mph-plus speeds put him in the frame for the Ashes too. But while Smith will now divert a fair slice of his attention to county cricket as England hunt top-order batsmen for that series against Australia, Archer is once again remaining cool on his chances.

He added: “If they do [pick me] I would be over the moon. But right now I’ve got a World Cup to think about. I’ve only just gotten in the side and I don’t expect to waltz into the Test side. If selected I will work my butt off but if not, I will go back to Sussex and put in the performances.”

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