Morgan gets nod for Cardiff opener

Eoin Morgan
12 April 2012

Eoin Morgan has been unexpectedly preferred to Ravi Bopara as England's likely number six batsman in a 12-man squad for the first npower Test against Sri Lanka.

Morgan, who made 193 for England Lions in the ongoing match against the tourists at Derby, is included along with his Middlesex team-mate Steven Finn.

Pace bowler Finn has edged the vote ahead of other candidates - headed by Ajmal Shahzad - to supply a back-up option behind James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett.

National selector Geoff Miller said: "We believe we have selected a very strong squad for the first Test.

"Eoin Morgan impressed us last summer when he was given his opportunity in the Test side and has worked hard on his game throughout the tour of Australia and now has the opportunity to play a role in the Test team."

Of the bowlers, he added: "Chris Tremlett had a very encouraging winter after a period of time away from the national side and - alongside Stuart Broad, James Anderson and Steven Finn - offers us a number of options with our pace attack."

The first match of three, set to start in Cardiff on Thursday, marks England's return to Test cricket after their historic Ashes series victory in Australia last winter.

Miller said: "We are very excited to be back playing cricket on home soil and are focused on building on the momentum we gained during the Ashes last winter, which was testament to the hard work that everyone involved put into the series.

"We currently have a talented and ambitious group of players who are committed to becoming the number one ranked side in Test cricket and we are determined to start an important summer strongly, beginning against Sri Lanka in Cardiff."

England squad for first npower Test against Sri Lanka in Cardiff, starting May 26: AJ Strauss (Middlesex, captain), JM Anderson (Lancashire), IR Bell (Warwickshire), SCJ Broad (Nottinghamshire), AN Cook (Essex), ST Finn (Middlesex), EJG Morgan (Middlesex), KP Pietersen (Surrey), MJ Prior (Sussex), GP Swann (Nottinghamshire), CT Tremlett (Surrey), IJL Trott (Warwickshire).

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