[www.timesonline.co.uk]

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*ANDRE VOS AND DAVID WILSON ARE HARLEQUIN LEGENDS*
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Both my head and my heart agree that Eoin Morgan is not yet ready for Test cricket. My head knows he was poor in the 2009 County Championship (10 matches, 18 innings, 413 runs, one century, one fifty), while my heart would love to see him playing as much as possible for Middlesex (even if England sensibly overlook him for Tests, he will probably be available for us for the last fortnight of May, the first fortnight of June, the last two or three weeks of July and all of August, which will hopefully be around half of the season.)

During July and August, Middlesex play five County Championship matches, but during the other periods I mentioned above we are playing mainly 20- and 40-over matches (although we do have the odd Championship match cramped in). If people want to see him playing first-class cricket then I strongly recommend he returns from the IPL in time for 9th April (or even if he arrives later than that, he will still play a fair few matches) and sit out the World Twenty20 as Middlesex have nine Championship matches between that date and 7th June. We also play Oxford UCCE 25-27 May, and it would actually come as quite a surprise if no-one suggests Eoin plays in that match. I certainly recommend he does.

I'm not sure whose decision it was for Eoin to play in the IPL. If it was the ECB or Middlesex's decision then it seems foolish as it deprives him of important first-class experience, while if it was Eoin's decision then he should have known better.

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Click here to read why I sensationally sacrificed the big bucks of Chelsea for the adventure of Watford

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(image on left not representative of how relative my support of Watford is to my support of Middlesex)

When I was Eoin Morgan's age, if someone had offered me the equivalent of $250,000 for a few week's work, I'd have found that hard to resist.

Hopefully he'll be all the more motivated for the cc matches he does play for us.

Quote:

Ged
When I was Eoin Morgan's age, if someone had offered me the equivalent of $250,000 for a few week's work, I'd have found that hard to resist.

What's age got to do with it?

Because these days I don't get out of bed for less than $500,000 for a few weeks work!!

Fair point, Jeff.

So you do actually get out of bed then Ged?

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*ANDRE VOS AND DAVID WILSON ARE HARLEQUIN LEGENDS*
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I would expect Morgs to be on the Ashes tour. Far better player than Trott or Carberry. I am sure the England selectors realise this guy is a bit special.

Shots, whilst appreciating your loyalty to the undoubted talent of Eoin I think he needs a huge 4 day season to get near a spot in the Ashes squad.

Last year in the CC he scored 413 @ 24. By contrast Carberry got 1251 @ 69 and Trott 1207 @ 80.

Quote:

Jeff Coleman
I think he needs a huge 4 day season to get near a spot in the Ashes squad.

Finding an opportunity this season for Eoin to get the first-class experience he needs in order to be able to make the step up to Tests seems to be a thankless task.

If he plays in the World Twenty20 - England's first match is six days after the IPL final - as well as all 16 of England's 20- and 50-over matches this summer (his place in the limited-overs sides seems assured for the foreseeable future) then I can only identify the following 10 County Championship matches in which there is a possibility of him playing:

• 10-13 May v Derbyshire (should England fail to qualify from their World Twenty20 group, which contains West Indies and Ireland)
• 17-20 May v Surrey (strong possibility if England fail to reach semi-finals and outside chance if they reach - but lose - semi-final)
• 25-27 May v Oxford UCCE (OK, I know it is neither County Championship nor high-standard, but it is still first-class and a good opportunity)
• 29 May-1 June v Leicestershire
• 4-7 June v Northamptonshire
• 21-24 July v Sussex
• 29 July-1 August v Surrey
• 9-13 August v Leicestershire
• 16-19 August v Glamorgan
• 25-28 August v Derbyshire

If England decide to select him for some or all of their six Tests this summer (I think the reason why this is down on the customary seven is partly because the World Twenty20 eats into the season, and partly because they have one eye on preparing for the World Cup in spring 2011) then they will effectively be expecting him to learn on the job as he will be unable to play in many of the Championship matches I named above.

10 matches may sound like a lot of first-class experience on offer, but don't forget the first two matches named are dependent on England's progress at the World Twenty20, it is a bit outlandish to expect him to play at The Parks while his participation in the other seven depend on whether he is called-up for Tests.

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Click here to read why I sensationally sacrificed the big bucks of Chelsea for the adventure of Watford

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(image on left not representative of how relative my support of Watford is to my support of Middlesex)