Morgan Makes The Running

With the 2020 cricket season finally underway, after the Covid-19 pandemic’s cruel intervention, England’s one-day captain, Eoin Morgan, has laid a marker for this year’s Walter Lawrence Trophy with a 78-ball hundred.

The 33-year-old Dublin-born batsman completed his 14th One-Day International hundred, which included 15 fours and 4 sixes, in the Third and final ODI against Ireland at Southampton, on August 4. However, despite Morgan helping England to a total of 328, Ireland, 2-0 down in the rubber, eclipsed the total with one ball left to win by 7 wickets. In addition, Ireland’s opener, Paul Stirling, and captain, Andy Balbirnie, both posted hundreds.

Morgan, who has gained a reputation as one of the most attacking one-day players in the world, was instrumental in changing the attitude and execution of England’s limited-over cricket when he took over the captaincy in 2015. Leading by example, he demanded a full-on, positive approach, which quickly reaped rewards culminating in last year’s thrilling World Cup win.

Morgan made his first-class debut for Ireland against Scotland in 2004, before joining Middlesex in 2005. In 2009, after helping Ireland to qualify for the 2011 World Cup, he fulfilled his ambition of playing for England when called up that April. To date, he has played in 16 Tests, scoring 700 runs, including 2 centuries; 239 One-Day Internationals, scoring 7,510 runs, and 89 T20 Internationals, scoring 2,138 runs.

Now in its 86th year, the Walter Lawrence Trophy, awarded for the fastest hundred of the season, is open to all domestic county competitions as well as One-Day Internationals, T20 Internationals and Test matches in England.

England v Ireland scorecard
Eoin Morgan’s career statistics