Eoin Morgan confident England can buck trend to defeat Australia at MCG

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/feb/12/england-eoin-morgan-australia-world-cup

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The bare facts, the simple historical statistics of results, suggest that when England step out to the cacophony of 90,000 pom-baiting Australian spectators for their World Cup opener, they will be given the chance of a snowball in the vicinity of a David Warner rant.

Just to take this millennium: the teams have played 27 matches in Australia of which England have won five. At the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia have won five out of six in that time. Since 2007, they have played 15 in the country and Australia have won all but two. So things are not looking too rosy against an Australian team on a roll and playing a powerful, high-octane brand of cricket.

This will be tough for England. But the fact that they have won any games at all in the past 15 years, including one on this ground, shows that it can be done: an inspired innings – as came here from Paul Collingwood in 2007 – or bowling spell, a stupendous catch or run-out can turn a game around.

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England trained lightly after their flight down from Sydney, just some fielding drills, but it was good to be able to get out to the middle of the ground and, for those who have no experience of playing here – Moeen Ali and James Taylor – the opportunity to absorb a little of the atmosphere.

Eoin Morgan, the captain, is not one to flap either over the performance of his team or his own, and he is aware of the need to avoid letting the atmosphere on match day overwhelm his team. “What we must do is focus on what we do best, “ he said. “We should not be striving for a formula that is not ours. The fact is that the majority of us have been in series where we have beaten Australia. We have not been worn down by them winning.”

All England’s energy in the past month has been directed at giving themselves the best possible chance. The jettisoning of Alastair Cook has added an injection of energy, the whole issue having been a distraction. The result is a state of flux so that within the side there is now a group of players who as individuals can provide the sort of performances that can transform games.

Morgan mentioned Moeen at the top of the order, who has been given the freedom to play an expansive game, or Ian Bell, who has shown how to build an innings, or James Taylor, finally given the chance to show that his prolific county form can be translated to the international stage.

He also mentioned the effect that the new-ball pairing of Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad can have (over the past two years England have the best record of any side in the first 10 overs, with Anderson the top bowler in that period). The key, as it is for any side, is to get all these elements firing simultaneously. If England can do that, then they are a match for anyone.

Of course, there remains the issue of Morgan’s own form, which shows a run of scores over his last eight innings reading 5, 0, 4, 121, 0, 2, 0 and 0. If it is a concern for him, he is able to make light of it readily enough. “I have been through bad patches before,” he said. “I had one before Christmas, but then I played in the Big Bash and turned it round. I don’t have to look that far back to reconnect with what has worked well for me. I can take a lot of confidence from that hundred in Sydney for example. I just find it really easy to reconnect with the past and what I do well. I’ve done it in the past on a number of occasions and I know I can come through.”

England are not likely to make too many adjustments, if any, to the side but will not make a final decision until the morning of the match. The groundsman, says Morgan, has a habit of leaving grass cuttings on the pitch, probably to keep moisture in, and only brushes them off at the last minute, so they will not get a proper feel for it until then.

There must be some debate, however, about the role of Ravi Bopara, particularly if he is not going to give significant help with the ball. So there is the possibility that Gary Ballance could come into the side, and bat at five, with Morgan moving down a place. Beyond that, there will be no further change, with Steven Finn and Chris Woakes returning to join Anderson and Broad as a pace quartet.

The news that Michael Clarke has been ruled out of the opening game comes as no great surprise. Increasingly the feeling has been that the whole issue of his fitness has dominated the agenda to a disproportionate degree, and that Australia have been playing very well in his absence. James Faulkner, on the other hand, is an integral part of their side, and he will not be risked now to ensure his full fitness for what they regard as the business end of the tournament.