Eoin Morgan’s clever on-field decision-making and calm influence off the field have been crucial to restoring control to this exciting, World Cup final-bound England side, writes Jo Harman.
Jo Harman is magazine editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly
England’s brutalisation of Australia at Edgbaston confirmed what we knew, or thought we knew, at the start of this World Cup: that, when on-song, no one can live with Eoin Morgan’s team. They have too much power, too much depth, too much pace, too many matchwinners.
Of course it doesn’t mean England will necessarily win the thing. New Zealand have clung on like a limpet in this World Cup, refusing to yield in four arse-nippers to deservedly take their place in the final. Kane Williamson’s side will take some beating and are unlikely to be swept aside in the manner which Australia were, as the frailties that the reigning champions have been able to mask through much of this tournament were ruthlessly exposed. But today England played like champions in waiting.
Morgan showed the same strength of conviction with the way he utilised Jofra Archer. After a thrilling opening burst of 6-0-16-1, which took the wicket of Finch for a golden duck and bloodied the face of Carey, Archer was brought back into the attack to try and remove Glenn Maxwell.
Two Archer overs ticked by without a breakthrough but rather than worrying about holding him back for the death, Morgan continued at full throttle, giving his kingpin quick a third. A perfectly executed knuckle ball, a new addition to Archer’s ever-growing repertoire, bamboozled Maxwell and effectively ended Australia’s hopes of posting an imposing total.
RESULT: England reach the World Cup final with a superb eight-wicket win over Australia. Woakes (3-20) and Rashid (3-54) helped bowl out the Aussies for 223 before Roy (85), Root (49*) and Morgan (45*) fired England home.
Scoreboard ? #AUSvENG #CWC19https://t.co/tEdBEeqqgr pic.twitter.com/n0tcMTLfOJ
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 11, 2019
Archer, a key death-bowler for England in this tournament, had bowled his full allocation by the 39th over, but it didn’t matter. The back of Australia’s batting had been broken.
After Roy and Bairstow did what they do, posting a fourth hundred partnership on the bounce, it was fitting that Morgan finished the job, clubbing Jason Behrendorff over mid-on to take England through to their first World Cup final for 27 years.
This was a match that went to Morgan’s script, the perfect representation of the blueprint set out when he and Andrew Strauss sat down for crisis talks four years ago.
If England can summon another performance like this one, their wait for a first World Cup title will surely be over.
