England captain Eoin Morgan admits injury-hit bowling stocks are a big worry ahead of West Indies ODI series
With at least four fast men out of action, captain Morgan knows his bowlers could be exposed by Windies batsmen
EOIN MORGAN believes England are “spoiled for choice” for dynamic batsmen but concedes their injury-hit bowling stocks are a big worry.
With at least four fast men out of action, captain Morgan knows his bowlers could be exposed by West Indies batsmen who love to whack the ball.
And that could spell bad news as England aim to beat a below-strength Windies team 3-0 in the one-day series starting here today.
England’s power with the willow is the envy of the world but they lack ‘gun’ bowlers — those who can
take wickets and contain in the middle overs.
Morgan admitted: “We’re spoiled for choice in the batting department. But the way injuries have started to add up is testing strengths in our bowling.”
England’s batting depth is illustrated by Jonny Bairstow being omitted while, when Alex Hales is fit again, Sam Billings is also likely to drop out.
And there are youngsters queuing up — like left-hander Ben Duckett and Lancashire’s Liam Livingstone, identified by England as a future star.
But the bowling has been ravaged, with David Willey, Reece Topley, Mark Wood and now Jake Ball all afflicted by injury.
Durham paceman Wood is a huge loss because of his speed, reverse swing and ability to take wickets with the old ball.
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Morgan added: “Liam Plunkett has been key for us recently — a guy who is 6ft 4in and bowling 90 miles an hour. Mark Wood is an impact player and progressing nicely.
“The injury report is he should be fit for the Champions Trophy this summer. We’ve been a bit unlucky with injuries, particularly to the bowlers. We have a good crop but we’re getting injuries.
“But our batting’s certainly in the right space.
“I’d like to think we have the attributes to win the Champions Trophy.
“Fully fit, we have a balanced attack and a very strong batting line-up.”
Most of the Windies’ stars, including Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Sunil Narine, are missing from this series because of a dispute with their Board.
The Board want them to play domestic cricket but they prefer the lucrative T20 leagues around the globe.
New coach Stuart Law, director of cricket Jimmy Adams plus new chief executive Johnny Grave are working on relations.
ENGLAND (likely): Roy, Billings, Root, Morgan (capt), Stokes, Buttler (wkt), Moeen, Woakes, Rashid, Plunkett, Finn.
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