BIG-HITTING SKIPPER MORGAN IN THE FORM OF HIS LIFE AT 34

SKIPPER EOIN IS FULL VALUE AS HE FIRES A MATCHWINNING 66 TO LIFT ENGLAND AND GIVE THE FREE-TV VIEWERS ALL THE EXCITEMENT AND ENTERTAINMENT THEY COULD HAVE HOPED FOR

EOIN MORGAN reckons he is in the form of his life after yet another matchwinning white-ball knock for England.

Morgan’s half-century anchored a 196-run chase against Pakistan in a five-wicket T20 win at Old Trafford.

The limited-overs skipper, who turns 34 in 10 days, said his scores back up a

AT the halfway stage of this match it looked as if England’s heralded return to terrestrial television after 21 years away was going to be down to earth with a bump.

But a superb knock from captain Eoin Morgan, with 66 in just 33 balls, saw England chase down a target of 196 and ensure a five-wicket win in the Old Trafford sunshine.

After World Cup heroics last summer, which he admitted drained him emotionally and enduring back problems, Morgan could be forgiven for losing some drive as he approaches his 34th birthday on September 10.

Yet he appears to be getting better with age.

After the washout on Friday night, victory here ensured they cannot lose the series with one to come tomorrow.

Pakistan would have felt comfortable at the turnaround, having posted what looked a defendable total, underpinned by half centuries from Babar Azam and Mohammad Hafeez.

They had done so capitalising on some loose bowling from

England, albeit on a pitch that did little favours to any bowler.

Yet from the moment Morgan was reprieved on the second ball he faced, the challenging geometry of his stroke play had the men in green chasing shadows.

Jonny Bairstow and Tom Banton had got England off to a good start in chasing down Pakistan’s 195-4, rattling to 65-0 after six overs with the field up in the powerplay.

It provided a platform and an advantage which England never gave back.

It could have been a very different outcome had umpire Martin Saggers decided to send Morgan on his way in the seventh over. England’s captain (above) would have been a third wicket in four balls for Shadab Khan after the leg spinner found Bairstow’s top edge then pinned Banton plum in front in consecutive balls. On such fine margins matches turn. Pakistan’s review showed the ball would have hit middle stump, but Morgan and England survived on the basis of umpire’s call on impact.

Morgan is not a man you want to give a second chance to in this format – this was his fifth half century in his last 11 innings – and he made best use of his luck punishing Pakistan with some wristy punches, four times clearing the ropes reaching his 50 in 29 balls.

He was ably supported by Dawid Malan (inset), who continues to burnish his status as dependable stand-in in white-ball cricket, the pair sharing a 112-run partnership for the third wicket.

Their stand lifted England from 67-2 to 178-3, leaving just 18 runs from 18 needed.

Moeen Ali managed to tap Shadab Khan to mid wicket to continue a run of four single-figure scores in whiteball cricket this summer and Sam Billings cut straight to backward point with a single required.