Morgan puts flops on trial

it helped cleanse the sport following the ball-tampering scandal in March.

“I’m absolutely happy with that, it doesn’t bother me,” said Morgan. “They’re trying to turn around the image of the game in their country and we are all for that. We want cricket to be as popular as it can be.”

England, who will boost their own popularity by bringing in box office talent Jos Buttler for Sam Billings, go into the five-match series as strong favourites after a 4-1 win in Australia, particularly given the absence of Smith Warner.

Yet Morgan will be wary of the inform talents of Travis Head and Marcus Stoinis as well as Glenn Maxwell, whose coach Justin Langer and believes is close to a big-game impact after a run of low returns with the bat. And towering fast bowler Billy Stanlake, the tallest player ever to represent Australia at 6ft 8ins, could prove a handful, a point conceded by England all-rounder Moeen. “I know we beat them in Australia but they have some good, dangerous players,” he said.

“If they come off, it will be difficult, so we’ll have to be on our game to beat them.”

AUSTRALIA (probable): Umpires: TV umpire: Start: ENGLAND (probable):

❑ TAMMY BEAUMONT and Sarah Taylor both struck centuries as England beat South Africa by 69 runs at Hove to level their one-day series.

The world champions produced the perfect response from a seven-wicket defeat in Saturday’s opening match at Worcester to set up a decider.

England had posted 331-6 from their 50 overs, with Beaumont (101) and Taylor (118) having built the mainstay of the innings after opener Amy Jones was out for 29.

Despite a rapid century from South Africa’s Lizelle Lee, who plundered 117 from 107 balls, England’s bowlers saw them home, with Sophie Ecclestone taking 3-54.

Our bowlers missed their lengths in Scotland