Root "feeling good" after score of 85 in warm-up defeat to Pakistan
Wednesday 11 February 2015 15:36, UK
Joe Root is adamant that Eoin Morgan will fire for England in the World Cup, despite the captain’s paucity of runs in recent weeks.
Morgan has recorded three ducks and a score of two since he posted 121 against Australia in the opening game of the Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series in Sydney on January 16.
But Root, speaking after Morgan’s third-ball dismissal in a four-wicket World Cup warm-up defeat to Pakistan on Wednesday, backed the skipper to rediscover his form in Saturday’s opener against the Baggy Greens.
"Morgs is one of the guys that under the pump, when the pressure is on, is someone you turn to," said Root, who top scored for England against Pakistan with an 89-ball 85.
"He's done it so many times for us and I'm sure throughout this competition he's going to score a lot of runs.
"Everyone in the dressing room is absolutely convinced that's going to be the case as he's obviously a fine player and fine leader.
"There's no bigger stage than Saturday. I'm sure he is, as much as anyone in the squad, really looking forward to getting out there and putting on a show."
Root posted just one fifty during England’s run to the final of the Carlton Mid ODI Tri-Series, having scored two half-centuries and a ton in the seven-match series with Sri Lanka before Christmas.
But the Yorkshire star says he “feels really good” and that he and his team-mates cannot wait to get their World Cup campaign underway against the co-hosts and four-time champions in Melbourne.
“I actually feel really good,” added Root. “I know I've not really put many performances in but my game feels in a really good place at the minute.
We want to get cracking. We want Saturday to come and we want to surprise people.
"It's quite exciting that Saturday is just around the corner and I'm really looking forward to that. We're ready now. We're fed up of waiting around.
"We want to get cracking. We want Saturday to come and we want to surprise people.
"We want to put in that performance that gets us a win and take on that 90,000 at the MCG."
Watch each and every game of the ICC Cricket World Cup on our dedicated channel, Sky Sports World Cup, starting with New Zealand against Sri Lanka from 10pm on Friday 13 February.
Before then don’t miss our World Cup Preview Show, with Nasser Hussain and Michael Vaughan, from 8pm on Friday on the same channel.
