New Zealand World Cup walloping spurred 'rock-bottom' Morgan

Eoin Morgan has revealed England's humiliating defeat by New Zealand in their last World Cup clash left him "as close to rock-bottom as I've been". But the England captain said it had also been behind his side's white-ball revival that now sees them on the verge of securing a place in the semi-finals of this year's World Cup.

The winners of Wednesday's match between England and New Zealand at Chester-le-Street are guaranteed a place in the last four and even the losers could still make it through to the knockout stages. But a World Cup semi-final was the last thing on England's horizon when they were skittled out for just 123 by New Zealand in a group match at Wellington four years ago.

The Black Caps then overhauled that woeful total in a mere 12.2 overs, winning with a colossal 226 balls to spare en route to an eventual defeat by fellow co-hosts Australia in the final. But the way New Zealand played in that 2015 tournament made a lasting impression on Morgan, then as now England's skipper in 50-over cricket.

"It was as close to rock-bottom as I've been," Morgan told reporters at Chester-le-Street on Tuesday. "Certainly as a captain and as a player, being beaten off the park like that was humiliating.

"New Zealand proved a point that you can actually be really good humans and grow the game and play cricket in your own way and win at the same time, which is incredibly eye-opening for a lot of countries around the world. "I thought that rubbed off on everybody in the World Cup."

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