Outspoken English broadcaster Piers Morgan had some advice for New Zealanders still upset over the Black Caps loss at the Cricket World Cup: Get over it.
Speaking to The Hits' breakfast this morning, Morgan told Laura McGoldrick, Sam Wallace and Toni Street that England would have won the final at Lord's in London in July, no matter what.
McGoldrick, wife of Black Caps opening batsman Martin Guptill, opened the interview asking: "Should you win a World Cup final on a boundary count? It makes no sense," prompting laughter from big cricket fan Morgan.
"The truth about cricket, whether it's the World Cup final, or this game or any game you ever play, is that it's unpredictable," Morgan replied.
"Things happen that are not necessarily how you would want them to be or they're slightly weird things, but that's why I love the game. It's very complex, all sorts of stuff can go on."
The final was arguably the most dramatic one-day match in cricket history, with England forcing a Super Over when the scores were tied at the end of normal play.
That followed a disputed call by umpire Kumar Dharmasena on the third-last ball of England's innings.
He awarded six runs when a fielder's throw hit Ben Stokes and the ball ran to the boundary, but should have awarded five because the batsman had not crossed.
The final two deliveries went for a run each, but England lost their last two wickets going for a second run each time.
Had Dharmasena awarded five runs not six and the next two deliveries played out the same way, New Zealand would have won the trophy for the first time.
Morgan conceded: "That was a freakish thing to happen and it's quite right, we probably should have got five and not six. Given that [New Zealand-born English cricketer and vice-captain] Ben Stokes is superhuman we have to accept that had he only got five then he would have smashed the next one for six anyway."
His comments prompted jeers from The Hits' team, leading Wallace to question whether the result was satsifying.
"Did it actually feel right? " he asked. "Did it feel like you won the World Cup, did it feel fair?"
"Yes," Morgan replied. "You get the rough and the smooth in sport. Sometimes they go in your favour, sometimes they don't. Both teams knew that. Great sportsmen in that pressure cauldron moment, they adapt to whatever they need to get.
"If it had required more runs then Stokes would have played diffrent shots," he concluded.
"It's all relative."
He then praised Black Caps skipper Kane Williamson's handling of the loss.
A dejected NZ captain Kane Williamson.
ICC Cricket World Cup FINAL.
"The way the New Zealand team led by their captain, who was incredibly impressive, refused to make that an excuse or moan and instead joined in the celebration of one of the greatest days of sport I've ever seen ... that was the right way to deal with it."
"If you can somehow find it inside yourself to put this burning resentment to one side - just for one second - I think it'd be good for your health."
Laura McGoldrick and Martin Guptill with their child.
Morgan's comments were part of an extended interviews with the Hits. Parts two and three air over the next two morning. Listen on the Hits, read more at nzherald.co.nz.
