Ton-up Morgan eager for fresh Test chance
England batsman Eoin Morgan said he could not wait for another crack
at Test cricket after his superb century saw the side to victory in the
first one-day international against Australia.
The hosts were struggling at 97 for four at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday
before former Ireland batsman Morgan took charge with a breathtaking 103
not out off just 85 balls with 16 fours to secure a four-wicket win. His
innings saw Morgan compared to Australia one-day great Michael Bevan by
England captain Andrew Strauss, a Middlesex colleague of England's
rising star.
"Playing against such a big side like Australia and given the
circumstances, I felt quite proud of myself yesterday (Tuesday)," Morgan
told reporters in Cardiff on Wednesday where the second of a five-match
series takes place Thursday.
"Being there at the end and winning, it was a great feeling of
satisfaction," Morgan added.
The composure Morgan showed as he assessed the situation out in the
middle was a notable feature of his third one-day international hundred.
"It's something I've learned through experience," he explained. "I've
batted at four and five for a long time and been in different
situations.
"I've made plenty of mistakes in those situations and over the last
couple of years I have learned to give myself a lot more time with the
power hitting I have worked on. "The longer I spend at the crease, the
more I give myself a chance." Asked if he relished the role of one-day
'finisher', Morgan said: "I enjoy it, thoroughly enjoy it.
"My job stays the same throughout. Just bat and if I am there at the
end we've more than likely won the game."
But World Twenty20 winner Morgan is anxious not to be regarded as
just a one-day specialist and would love nothing more than to be part of
England's tour of Australia when they defend the Ashes starting in
November.
Morgan's two Tests against Bangladesh left him with a respectable
average of 40.50 in the five-day game but against world cricket's
weakest side he spurned the chance of a maiden fifty at that level and
had to settle for scores of 44 and 37 instead. "I don't think it left me
frustrated; there's nothing worse than a missed opportunity but I didn't
get runs, that's the bottom line," said Morgan, who will be vying with
the likes of Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott for a
middle-order spot when England play Pakistan in a four-match home series
in July and August.
"Cricket is viewed on results so I will certainly bide my time and
try to score more runs," the 23-year-old left-hander said.
"My one-day cricket has excelled quite quickly just purely through
playing a lot of one-day cricket and Twenty20. "I didn't grow up playing
a lot of four-day cricket as a kid but that will progress along the way
and fall into place, hopefully sooner rather than later." CARDIFF,
Thursday (AFP) - |