Morgan hits the big time as €150,000 IPL deal confirmed
Dubliner Morgan has been snapped up by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the third season of the cash-rich Twenty20 franchise operation. The form of the 2005 Irish Examiner National Junior Sports star has made the IPL sit up and take notice at a time when established England internationals Graeme Swann, Tim Bresnan, Rob Key, Monty Panesar, Jonathan Trott, Mark Ramprakash and Anthony McGrath were all overlooked.
From what the Middlesex left-hander has so far shown in three international Twenty20s and 38 one-day appearances, first for Ireland and more recently at Test level for England, Morgan certainly has the skills to continue his skyward trajectory in the sport.
The 23-year-old’s 67 from just 34 balls as England knocked South Africa out of their own Champions Trophy last September was doubtless the innings which alerted the money men at the IPL to his potential.
Morgan combines deft and electrically quick footwork and hand-eye coordination – attributed to his hurling days – with unexpected power from his light and wiry 5ft 9in frame. Throw in his youthful athleticism between the wickets and in the field – he is a superb catcher in the ring and on the boundary – and you have a perfectly-formed Twenty20 package.
He was all set to for his first taste of IPL-style glamour 15 months ago when Middlesex were preparing to fly out for the inaugural Champions League, only for the event to be cancelled because of the Mumbai terrorist attacks on the eve of the tournament.
However as well as talent, Morgan will need stamina over the next four months. His one-day and Twenty20 assignments, for franchise and country, are set to take him to all points east and west in northern-hemisphere cricket – with barely a moment to catch breath between long-haul flights.
On February 13, Morgan will travel with England to the United Arab Emirates on Twenty20 duty; then it will be on to Bangladesh for three ODIs. That leaves a week before the start of the IPL, which finishes a matter of days before the second ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies.
By then, the English domestic season will already be in full flow and Morgan may be having to deal with fame, as well as fortune.
Only 11 players were signed overall, with West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard and New Zealand paceman Shane Bond the costliest signings. Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kolkata all matched the £458,000 price for Pollard after a frantic bidding period, with the Mumbai Indians coming out on top after submitting the highest undisclosed offer.
