England’s preparation for their crucial World Cup clash with Sri Lanka has been helped by already experiencing the conditions at the Wellington Regional Stadium, according to skipper Eoin Morgan.
Morgan's side started their Pool A campaign with a defeat to Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before setting up base in New Zealand for their next three matches.
They lost to the co-hosts in Wellington and, after travelling to Christchurch to hammer Scotland at the Hagley Oval, returned to the capital.
Although they were beaten convincingly by the Black Caps, Morgan believes his side will be better for it when they take on Angelo Mathews and Co at the ‘Cake Tin’ on Saturday night.
The 28-year-old said: “Coming to Wellington for the second time in this tournament, it is an easy place to come and take advantage of good facilities.
“The one advantage we have had is having one game at the Cake Tin. One lesson we have learnt from there is the ball swung throughout the first innings.
“Preparing for the possibility of that happening again, we did quite a lot of work on scenario practice and the guys got a lot out of it.
“Again we are playing in neutral conditions. If the ball swings around, we are more than happy for it to swing around. We are better for it.
“If we were to go back to the MCG, it wouldn’t be any different. We are a better team for it, having played against a very good side and learnt what we did on that day.
“Coming back here and almost getting a second chance, you can sit back and say ‘it has cost us a win but in the long run we are still in the World Cup and we can come back and rectify anything that we got wrong’.”
Power-hitting from @Eoin16 & @josbuttler ! Watch the batsmen whack the ball into the stands #LoveEngland : http://t.co/2G3RU394vE via @YouTube
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 27, 2015
On the benefits of scenario practice, Morgan added: “It is awesome; it is brilliant. Any practice you can have in the middle is worth 10 times any net you’ll ever practice in.”
Morgan has heaped praise on the methods adopted by Head Coach Peter Moores since he took over the reins almost a year ago.
The Middlesex batsman said: “Mooresey has been awesome since he has come in.
“He has been completely different to anybody I have worked with before; he is different to Andy Flower and Ashley Giles. He brings a lot of energy to the side, a lot of ideas.
“The basis around international cricket is trying to be one step ahead of the game, particularly as a coach you are trying to find little edges here and there without taking the basics away.
England out early this morning for a full practice session in Wellington ahead of Sunday's #CWC15 clash v Sri Lanka pic.twitter.com/zPwNtjEBla
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) February 27, 2015
“I think he has done that since he has been involved.”
Sri Lanka sit second in Pool B, two points above second-bottom England, after hammering Bangladesh yesterday.
England know Sri Lanka well following their seven-match tour of the island before Christmas, which the hosts won 5-2.
And Morgan knows the size of the task that awaits his side, adding: “I watched the whole game and Sri Lanka look in a good place at the moment.
“We have played a lot against them recently and I know they rely on their senior players so it is another test for us against some of the best cricketers, guys who have played 300-400 games.
“It will be a really good test and a good challenge that the guys are looking forward to. It is a really big game for us.”