2015 ICC World Cup: Eoin Morgan is the Key to Success for England

While England are unlikely to win their first-ever ICC World Cup when they travel to Australia and New Zealand in early 2015, any success they do experience is likely to hinge on the form of Eoin Morgan.

The explosive left-hander is the side’s most experienced big hitter and has the ability to turn a game on its head when he arrives at the crease.

Kevin Pietersen has left a big void in the batting line-up, but the 28-year-old could come of age and lead England to victories with his similar maverick batting style.

Realistic England aspirations for the 2015 ICC World Cup don’t include lifting the trophy for the first time, but with Morgan firing on all cylinders there is a definite chance that they can find themselves in the final four. 

Progressing among the top four of a group that includes Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Scotland is a definite reality, and the straight knockout phase that follows will benefit England. Rather than have to play a round-robin against the world’s elite limited-overs sides in a Super 8 to reach the semi-finals, they will only need to win two matches after the group stage to book a place in the final.

Alastair Cook’s side are currently ranked fifth in ODI cricket by the ICC, but on their day they are capable of beating anyone in the world. At the same time, they are also suspect to the occasional defeats to Associate Member nations like Ireland and the Netherlands.

But England’s own diamond from the Emerald Isle has the capability to easily smash the ball to all sections of a stadium and give them the upper hand. It is highly likely that Morgan will be called upon to rectify an upper-order collapse at some point during the tournament.

It’s true that the former Ireland international is currently struggling for a bit of form, scoring just 86 runs from six innings in the ongoing ODI series in Sri Lanka. However, the upcoming triangular series against Australia and India will offer him the chance to start scoring runs more freely as well as provide the opportunity to once again acclimatise himself to conditions down under.

On his last visit to Australia—following England’s abysmal Ashes whitewash—he could have left holding his head high after scoring 106 at Brisbane, averaging 56.40 and ending the five-match ODI series as the leading procurer of runs.

If he can dominate the Australian bowlers once again, he could hand England a very positive start to the tournament when they face the hosts in their opening group game on February 14.

Morgan’s six centuries are eclipsed by his strike rate of 85.95 when you look at his international statistics. He scores at a quicker rate than Ian Bell, Alastair Cook and Ravi Bopara—who have all also surpassed 100 ODI caps.

The vast array of strokes the left-hander offers make him an exciting batsman to watch, with his reverse sweeps particularly wowing crowds around the world, including in the IPL, where he is one of England’s only representatives.

Alex Hales, Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler all look capable of scoring runs quickly for England and attacking opposition bowling attacks, but Morgan has the experience to suggest that he will be a more consistent provider of match-winning knocks.

Morgan is a player from whom the younger members of the dressing room can learn, and he can serve as a mentor to the likes of Hales and Buttler, who also bat in an aggressive manner. Batting at five or six, he will be expected to finish off chases or add crucial runs in the latter overs if England are batting first.

In the past he has stood in as England captain in limited-overs cricket and could be called upon to repeat that role if Cook’s form continues to slide. As skipper, Morgan would become even more integral to success.

England fans should be realistic about the World Cup with youngsters like Hales, Ali and Joe Root still finding their way in international cricket. The future is definitely bright for the Three Lions, but for the upcoming competition a semi-final finish would be a great achievement.

And if Eoin Morgan is arriving at the crease during the middle overs and managing to punish the opposition with boundary after boundary, there is no reason why England can’t upset a few of the favourites and return home happy with their efforts.