ICC Champions Trophy 2017: Eoin Morgan wants England to go all the way after reaching semi-finals

The tournament hosts and favourites will return to Cardiff a week on Wednesday after a second successive win ensured they will finish top of Group A

Chris Stocks
Cardiff
Tuesday 06 June 2017 20:15 BST
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Eoin Morgan plays a shot for England against New Zealand
Eoin Morgan plays a shot for England against New Zealand

Eoin Morgan insists England are not satisfied with just reaching the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy after victory against New Zealand secured their place in the last four.

The tournament hosts and favourites will return to Cardiff a week on Wednesday after a second successive win ensured they will finish top of Group A.

But after improving so much since their first-round exit from the 2015 World Cup, England’s captain wants his players to now go all the way in this tournament.

"It feels good to be in the semis but we are not satisfied,” said Morgan. “We want to fulfil our potential."

England posted 310 batting first at Sophia Gardens, failing to see out their full quota of 50 overs in the process.

It’s no surprise then that Morgan wants his team to be more clinical with the bat.

"We weren’t that pleased at halfway, we were maybe 20 or 30 short of par,” he said. "I thought we would have got more.”

There will be no let up for England in their final group match against Australia at Edgbaston on Saturday either despite the fact the hosts effectively have nothing but bragging rights to play for.

“We’ll have a very serious attitude,” said Morgan. “I think if we’re truly going to be contenders for this tournament, we need to beat the best teams. And Australia are one of the best teams.”

Meanwhile, Kane Williamson, the New Zealand captain, could be facing a ban for slow over-rates after his side took almost four hours to complete the England innings.

Kane Williamson could face a ban for slow over-rates 

Sri Lanka’s Upal Tharanga received a two-match suspension from the International Cricket Council when his side were similarly tardy against South Africa last weekend.

And Williamson said: “I’m just going to avoid the umpires for a couple of days, see if they can track me down. I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

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