Morgan rewarded with England contract

Cricket: Ireland’s Eoin Morgan has been awarded an incremental England contract after the Dublin-born left-hander became the…

Cricket:Ireland's Eoin Morgan has been awarded an incremental England contract after the Dublin-born left-hander became the only cricketer to ever make a hundred for two different countries, adding a match-winning and series-clinching 110 not out for England against Bangladesh at Dhaka to his previous century for his native Ireland.

The 23-year-old has played six one-day internationals, as well as four Twenty20s for England, in the current 12-month contract period and therefore qualifies for a central deal.

Non-contracted players can earn an England incremental contract via a points system which allocates five for a Test appearance and two for a Twenty20 or ODI cap.

Twenty points are required, and the Middlesex middle-order batsman has now reached that total.

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Hugh Morris, the England and Wales Cricket Board's managing director - England Cricket, confidently expects Morgan to consolidate the eye-catching start he has made to his international career.

"Eoin has made excellent progress since making his England debut against West Indies last summer and is now an established member of our one-day and T20 sides," said Morris.

"He has fully justified the faith the selectors have shown in him and has the potential to develop his game still further."

Morgan played 23 ODIs for Ireland and scored his first century against Canada in Nairobi in 2007.

His Test aspirations may not have to wait much longer, according to former England fast bowler Steve Harmison - who spoke of yesterday's innings in the same breath as the deeds of master batsman Sachin Tendulkar.

The record-breaking Indian last month became the first man in history to make an ODI double-century.

Harmison said: "Eoin Morgan has slipped under the radar a little bit.

"But it was a fantastic innings; if Sachin had played it people would have been talking about it for years to come.

"I hope it stands him in good stead to push for a Test place."