'It felt as close to an international game' - Eoin Morgan after match-winning knock in London Spirits' campaign opener

Former England white-ball skipper and London Spirits captain Eoin Morgan opened up about the recently concluded game of the Hundred between Oval Invincibles and London Spirit and said that the contest was very much similar to an international game because of the thrilling manner it ended it. It was a neck-to-neck clash between the two teams as Spirits won the game by just three runs.

At a jam-packed Kia Oval on Thursday night, Morgan’s team edged out their London foes by three runs, with Invincibles scoring 168 from 100 balls while chasing Spirit’s total of 171. Morgan’s quick-fire knock of a 29-ball 47 runs led the Spirits to post a humungous total of 171 runs in the 100 balls that they faced. Jordan Thompson held his nerves towards the end and restricted the opponents from chasing the score.

“It felt as close to an international game as I have ever felt in the domestic arena, anywhere else apart from India. India has the IPL and you have the tension, the pressure of being an overseas player and having to perform otherwise you are being dropped. But out here was as close to international cricket,” Morgan told Sky Sports post the match.

I love playing in games like that: Eoin Morgan

Morgan’s knock was studded with five fours and three sixes as he played the captain’s knock to lead his side from the front. He batted at a strike rate of 162.07 and was one of the major reasons behind the team’s win. He entered the game when Glenn Maxwell lost his wicket on the 36th ball. At a point when Spirits were 55/3, Morgan powered the team to 147/5 before losing his wicket on the 88th delivery off Reece Topley.

“I love playing in games like that. You get to find out more about how good your guys and the opposition are with coping under pressure. Anybody can bowl yorkers or hit sixes down the park under no pressure but in moments like this you see who can stand up,” he added.

Morgan, who has announced his retirement from all formats of international cricket, is known for his cool and calm captaincy style. Ever since his exit, English cricket fans missed watching his captaincy skills and strategies on the field. But they got to witness it once again in London Spirit’s campaign opener on August 4.