'Morgan is loving leading England's new-look ODI side'
Saturday 13 June 2015 16:46, UK
Mike Atherton says England’s “inhumane” cricket calendar means splitting the captains across the Test and one-day formats is a necessity.
England’s Test skipper Alastair Cook is taking a breather ahead of The Ashes with Eoin Morgan leading a new and vibrant ODI side in a pulsating series against New Zealand.
And Sky Cricket pundit Atherton feels Morgan, who has plundered successive fifties against the Black Caps after a lean World Cup, is revelling in England’s fresh one-day era.
“England’s schedule is inhumane and it would be impossible for one man to captain across all formats,” Atherton told Sky Sports.
Morgan is clearly in-tune with the people he has got around him and in a much better position to put his stamp in the team.”
“The separation is a good thing; Cook, whose technique has improved now he is not in the one-day side, can rest and focus on The Ashes, while when the Ashes starts, Morgan can go away and think about England’s next one-day series.
“Morgan had a poor World Cup but he is now clearly in-tune with the people he has got around him, has had some input on selection and is in a much better position to put his stamp in the team.”
Morgan averaged a meagre 18 at the World Cup after collecting just 90 runs over the course of his five innings, but has biffed scores of 50 and 88 in the opening two contests with the Black Caps.
Kent batsman Rob Key reckons England’s concerted effort to be aggressive is playing to the 28-year-old’s strengths.
“I think Morgan is a very good captain who gets one-day cricket and this new attacking way of playing has helped his batting,” said Key.
“The old way, when England wanted someone to milk the middle overs and be a little bit reserved, didn’t suit him and you wanted him coming in later.
“But now that he is leading and showing the team how he wants them to play, he can be aggressive earlier in the innings and bat at four the way he would as a finisher.”
England smoked 408 runs in the first ODI at Edgbaston – Jos Buttler (129 off 77 balls) top scoring – and backed that up with a haul of 365 off 46 overs at The Oval on Friday night in the second game.
But Atherton says Morgan’s side’s bowling attack also looks more potent than it did down under this winter, with spinner Adil Rashid giving the team a different dimension.
“Rashid is going to get collared from time to time but if you’ve got a bowler who can spin the ball both ways, it’s harder for batsmen to set themselves," added the former England captain.
“England also have a bit of pace up front with Liam Plunkett and Steven Finn and that is combined with dynamic fielders - there are no donkeys – and batsmen all the way down who are prepared to give it a go and can clear the ropes.”
Watch the third ODI between England and New Zealand, live from 10am, Sunday, Sky Sports 2.
