WHEN England and Ireland meet on Tuesday for the second time in an ICC tournament at the Guyana National Stadium, Dublin-born Eoin Morgan will have switched sides.
Morgan made a minimal contribution as Ireland surprised the world by reaching the Super Eight stage of the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, and was run-out for just two against England in Georgetown.
However, since then the inventive left-hander’s career has gone into overdrive and made him a sure-fire selection in England’s ICC World Twenty20 team, as well as winning him an Indian Premier League contract.
Morgan, 23, could be forgiven some mixed feelings when he takes on his native country but insists that will unequivocally not be the case, saying: “I have every confidence in the decision I made. Here is where I want to be and I want to do well.”
Morgan has done just that several times already, most recently with a match-winning 63 in Thursday’s warm-up win against South Africa at Kensington Oval.
He accepts nonetheless his second experience of the big time in the Caribbean will inevitably prove very different to the last.
“It’s great to be back. I’ve some fond memories of being out here,” he said. “It’s a great place to come and chill out.
“That side of things can contribute slightly to being relaxed on the cricket field too.
“But it does feel different, obviously, partly because there is a lot more expectation when you’re part of a Test-playing nation.
“We came here with Ireland as massive underdogs and weren’t expected to do anything, just enjoy ourselves.
“That World Cup for me, playing with Ireland, was a big learning curve. I didn’t particularly do very well, didn’t contribute very much to the side. But I had to deal with stuff as a batter, playing at the highest level. (Eurosport)