Eoin Morgan dampens talk of Jofra Archer being in England's World Cup squad

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http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/23746348/eoin-morgan-dampens-talk-jofra-archer-being-england-world-cup-squad

 

"Jofra is a very impressive player," Morgan said. "He's a guy who, if he was England qualified, we'd have looked at after maybe the Bangladesh league at the end of last year. He'd have gone on some Lions and from there we'd have seen what happened.

"But are we looking to break some rules? Absolutely not. They're the rules. I had to qualify even though my mum is English and I've had a British passport since I was born.

"Is it too late if he did qualify at the start of next year? Yes, I think it is. Providing everybody is fit, I think it is."

 

Meanwhile, Morgan does not expect his team - or his team's supporters - to inflict any extra pain upon Australia during the upcoming ODI series. He does not believe it comes naturally to his team to engage in much sledging and he hopes that crowds in England and Wales will not subject the Australian players to the abuse England players have, at times, come to expect in Australia. Instead he continues to view the example of New Zealand - who play tough, uncompromising cricket without any posturing or abuse - as the template.

"No, I don't want to see any abuse of players," Morgan said. "And no, I definitely don't want to see what might happen in Australia replicated here. It's not what we're about culturally. Certainly within cricketing circles. The humility about the way we play cricket sets an example for the majority of other countries around the world. So yes, there might be a laugh and a giggle but predominantly it will be harmless.

"The way New Zealand played at the 2015 World Cup changed cricket. The way they went about it epitomised the way they are as a nation. And that's important for us.

 

"For years we were guilty of trying to replicate whatever the best side in the world at the time did. And that doesn't work as it doesn't come naturally. Or it'll work for a short period and we won't be able to sustain it."

Morgan also confirmed that, while England players would be allowed to appear in the IPL in 2019, the window for their availability was likely to be significantly shorter which could make them less attractive to franchises.

"They'll participate in some of the IPL," Morgan said. "But it will be a shorter window. We're playing a five-match ODI series against Pakistan and we want a full-strength side ahead of the World Cup."

England begin their 2018 home season of white-ball cricket with the ODI against Scotland in Edinburgh.