EOIN MORGAN habitually lowers his sights at the crease, but his lofty ambition for England is undiminished by a tough tour of duty in the desert this winter.
The Irishman, possessor of the most pronounced crouch in world cricket as part of his trigger movement when batting, acknowledges it is a quirk he needs to keep an eye on.
Morgan’s involuntary squat is so exaggerated that he is within inches of actually sitting down in front of the stumps a split-second before the bowler delivers the ball.
But he makes no connection between his unusual habit and a run of low scores in England’s 3-0 Test defeat, which he believes had more to do with his injury-enforced five-month absence from competitive cricket – and some outstanding Pakistan spin bowling on awkward surfaces.
Morgan has since begun the ongoing one-day international series with another failure but then contributed two unbeaten 20s to a winning cause which has put England within one more win tomorrow of a 4-0 series whitewash.
That would be a payback of sorts for the world number ones’ unexpected Test trouncing.
Morgan, meanwhile, could do with the opportunity to play a more significant innings – crouching or otherwise.
The left-hander does not deny his contortions but does not see them as a source of significant concern either.
“It’s something I’m definitely aware of and trying to counter,” he said. “It was the most extreme during last summer, but it’s something I’m working on and sticking with and trying to manipulate so that my balance stays the same.”
Morgan’s Test average has dropped to just a shade over 30, from 16 matches, after just 82 runs in six attempts here. “It’s been hard work,” he said.
“The first part, the Test series, was very tricky. Certainly the skills levels on our behalf – and mine as well – weren’t up to scratch. We struggled.”
England’s worst tormentor was off-spinner Saeed Ajmal, whose variations have proved especially hard to decipher.
“He’s been in a fantastic run of form of late – and again having not played in four or five months caught up with us, me in particular,” added Morgan. “I’ve been off for quite a while.
“Even though I spent some time in India before Christmas, it doesn’t replicate what you’re up against. But I’ve played a lot of sub-continent cricket and I should be used to it.”
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