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Morgan ton puts
England on
top against Pakistan
NOTTINGHAM, England: Eoin
Morgan's maiden Test hundred was key to England's revival
against Pakistan as they made 331 for four by stumps on the
first day of their series opener at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
Former Ireland left-hander
Morgan was 125 not out, having never even made a fifty in his
previous two innings at this level, both against Bangladesh
earlier in the English season.
Together with Paul Collingwood
(81 not out), he shared an England record fifth wicket stand
against Pakistan of 213 unbroken, surpassing the 192 put on by
Trevor Bailey and Denis Compton at Trent Bridge back in 1954.
Middlesex middle-order batsman
Morgan reached his hundred in style with a straight driven six
against off-spinner Shoaib Malik as he completed a 151-ball
century, also featuring 16 fours, in just over three hours at
the crease.
However, Morgan had modern
technology to thank for avoiding being dismissed on five and
then 78 on the first day of a four-Test series.
The 23-year-old was in single
figures when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal appealed for a catch off
left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Aamer.
But even before the third umpire
ruled in Morgan's favour, boos rang round Trent Bridge as replays on the giant
screen showed the ball had bounced into the keeper's gloves.
Morgan was in sight of a century
when the Umpire Decision Review System (DRS), being used in
England for the first time, came to his rescue.
He got an lbw decision given by
Sri Lanka's Asoka de Silva off the bowling of leg-spinner Danish
Kaneria overturned after replays showed the ball sliding past
leg stump.
England were 118 for four, shortly after lunch, when Morgan came in.
They'd lost two wickets for two
runs in five balls -- including star batsman Kevin Pietersen who
was out for just nine in his first match since suffering a thigh
injury against Australia in a one-day international at Lord's on
July 3.
But England fought back although
Collingwood should have been out for 48 when Kamran Akmal, who
had a poor first day, missed a routine stumping chance off
leg-spinner Kaneria.
Collingwood went on to complete
a 114-ball fifty with six fours. – AFP |