England captain Eoin Morgan with the Cricket World Cup trophy. Photo / Photosport
England captain Eoin Morgan with the Cricket World Cup trophy. Photo / Photosport
England cricket captain Eoin Morgan has struggled to make sense of their World Cup win over the Black Caps, saying he is troubled by the way the final ended.
New Zealand were left heartbroken after losing the final at Lord's by zero runs in a thrilling Super Over, with Englandbeing crowned champions because they had scored more boundaries in their innings.
Morgan says he doesn't believe the result was fair.
"I don't think it's fair to have a result like that when there's very little between the sides," Morgan told The Times. "I don't think there was one moment that you could say: 'That actually cost the game there.' It was quite balanced.
"I'm black and white. I'm normally going: 'I know. I was there, that happened.' [But] I can't stick my finger on where the game was won and lost.
"There's no defining moment that you'd say: 'Yes, we thoroughly deserved it.' It's just been crazy."
Morgan says he has been in constant contact with Black Caps captain Kane Williamson since the final to try and make sense of the extraordinary match.
"I spoke to Kane over the last couple of days on numerous occasions and none of us has come up with a rational explanation as to the various times we gave them the game and they gave it back to us. Like me, he can't get his head around everything."
One of the most controversial moments in the match came during the third-to-last ball from Trent Boult, when Ben Stokes accidentally deflected a Martin Guptill throw which went to the boundary.
England were erroneously given an extra run when umpires Marais Erasmus and Kumar Dharmasena awarded the eventual winners six overthrows after failing to spot that Stokes and Adil Rashid had not crossed for a second run.
Morgan says he feels better about that moment looking back now, pointing to other events during the match, including a wide given against England and a misfield during the Super Over that gave New Zealand an extra run, which could have also gone either way.
"I actually feel more comfortable about it having watched all of the game now."
Despite all the drama, the 32-year-old agrees with claims that the final was the greatest ever cricket match.
"By a long way. I can't think of a game that's come close. Madness. I should be cheery about it, shouldn't I?"
