Our Jonny blasts 174
BAIRSTOW HAS A TON OF FUN
JONNY BAIRSTOW smashed 174 runs from 113 balls to fire Yorkshire to a recordbreaking win over Durham. Jonny will be writing exclusively in Sportsmail throughout the summer.
EoIn MorGan has defended his plan to return to the Indian Premier League once he has led england in two matches against his native Ireland that launch the international year.
Morgan has played just three matches for King’s XI Punjab in this IPL but wants to go back for potentially three more before england’s preparations for the Champions Trophy continue with a training camp in Spain.
england’s one- day captain will lead his side against Ireland at Bristol tomorrow and Lord’s on Sunday but admits he will be on the phone to see whether he is needed for King’s XI’s attempt to reach the IPL playoffs. ‘If I’m guaranteed three more matches or even two out of the three I’ll go back and play,’ said Morgan.
‘The dynamic in my side is about to change because our South african guys (Hashim amla and david Miller) leave to prepare for the Champions Trophy on May 8. So there’s a good chance I’ll play, otherwise I would stay here. We’ll be on the phone pretty much every day to see how we’re going to go.’
england earlier decided Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes would be permitted to miss the Ireland matches and stay in the IPL until May 14 but Morgan, Jason roy and Sam Billings would have to come back temporarily. However, roy has decided he is better off staying put and playing two royal London Cup 50- over matches for Surrey, as he too has only been picked for three IPL games this year, in his case for Gujarat Lions.
‘I think Jason is a bit further away from playing in the IPL than I will probably be when I go back,’ insisted Morgan. ‘But that’s a decision we made. He feels comfortable with what he needs and how he’ll get it.’
The selectors will make a final decision tomorrow on whether Morgan and Billings go back but it is a somewhat unsatisfactory situation so close to next month’s Champions Trophy. It could be argued that Stokes, Buttler and Woakes should be here, with england having just five more 50-over matches before the tournament.
It is also a little unfair to pick a weakened team for what are significant and historic matches for Ireland, particularly their first appearance at Lord’s in a full international against england.
at least players such as Billings and Jonny Bairstow, and possibly Ben duckett and Steven Finn, will now have the chance to impress.
The overwhelming view in the england camp is that players benefit from IPL exposure, and Morgan gave the example of Stokes’s unbeaten 103 off 63 balls for Pune on Monday.
‘ It was incredible,’ said Morgan. ‘You look at why guys go and play in tournaments like this and it’s so they can produce performances like Ben’s yesterday, sit in the same team as the australian captain and an Indian legend and out-perform them.
‘rubbing shoulders with the best players in the world, outperforming them or growing in confidence from playing with them are things he’ll have in abundance when he comes back.’