Know Your Player – Eoin Morgan
Cricketing milestones, rise through the ranks, trials and tribulations and their glamorous lifestyles – we cover it all in ‘Know Your Player’, a brand-new section aimed at keeping you updated with everything you need to know! In this edition, we take a look at one of the most successful English batsmen in limited-overs cricket, Eoin Morgan.
The Rise
Eoin was born in Dublin. His mother is English. He represented Ireland’s youth teams and also played at Under-13, Under-15 and Under-17 level. He spent a number of summer spells with Middlesex’s under-age setup. He was soon selected for the 2004 Under-19 Cricket World Cup and was Ireland’s top run-scorer in the competition.
Two years later, Morgan captained Ireland in the 2006 Under-19 World Cup where he finished as the second-highest overall run-scorer. He made his international debut for Ireland in the same year. The left-handed batsman scored 99 runs on his ODI debut before being run out. He became the first-ever ODI debutant to be dismissed on 99. In February 2007, Morgan scored the maiden first-class double century for Ireland, with an unbeaten 209 against the United Arab Emirates. He then represented Ireland in the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
Morgan always had the ambition to play for England and he left Ireland to pursue his dream. He made his ODI debut for England in May 2009 against West Indies. The T20I and Test debuts followed soon. Morgan later established himself firmly in the national limited-overs squads.
Career Highlights
Off The Field
In his early teens, Morgan played hurling twice a week amongst other sports. This helped him develop his skills as a batsman, particularly as the grip for hurling is the same as that for the reverse sweep. The batsman was criticised often for leaving Ireland when they were developing their cricket. However, Morgan has clarified his stance on the matter. Time and again, Morgan has also been criticized for refusing to sing the English national anthem which is often played before a match begins.
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