Sussex 283; Middlesex 229 for 3
Eoin Morgan, employing the kind of precision timing with which he used to manage England run-chases, gave the selectors a reminder of his talents on the day that Kevin Pietersen called time on his limited-overs international career.
The Middlesex batsman finished the day unbeaten on 51 against Sussex, his first half-century in 23 innings dating back to last August ? a run of form that cost him his England place and consigned him to purdah at the IPL.
"It's a huge relief to score some runs and I felt good out there," he said. "The England selectors have made it clear that I need to score heavily in all forms of cricket, not just in limited-overs cricket."
Morgan's path back into England's one-day sides looks clearer with Pietersen out of the picture, but the Irishman took little satisfaction in his team-mate's decision.
"It came as a real shock," he said. "It's a shame to hear him finish so early, especially with the World Twenty20 so near. It's not good news at all [on a personal level]. To lose someone like KP is hammer blow and you'd always rather have him in the side. He has played a huge part in shaping how England play their one-day cricket."
The Irishman dominated an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership of 77 with Chris Rogers as Middlesex closed in on Sussex's first-innings total of 283 before bad light halted play.
It was by no means an emphatic argument for an international recall but he did make some valid points, notably a driven six off the otherwise parsimonious Monty Panesar, and significantly the skittish crouch-and-lurch trigger movement that caused him so many problems during England's series against Pakistan seemed less exaggerated.
Middlesex needed his runs, in any case, and Lord's crowd craved entertainment on a day when the MCC pennant flapped sternly in the wind, spectators cowered into their summer jackets and Rogers moved to 93 not out with soporific defiance.
Rogers is colour-blind and there were times on Thursday that the Middlesex opener batted in black and white. It was not a chanceless innings, as the ball swayed in the wind and Panesar made sport of the Lord's slope, but it was nearly faultless, such were the Australian's powers of concentration. The paradox of it all was that it would have taken tremendous strength of character to appear so anonymous.
At least at the other end there was usually a batsman straining to be noticed. Joe Denly, another discarded England batsman, scored 67 from No3 after the opener Sam Robson was trapped lbw by Steve Magoffin for nought.
Robson's departure, shortly before lunch, followed a 90-minute period in which Middlesex made heavy work of removing Sussex's last two wickets, although the lack of runs added to an overnight score of 242 for eight indicated that batting conditions were far from favourable. Tim Murtagh finished with five for 55, while Steve Finn, perhaps bowling a little within himself, took three for 76.
Denly and Rogers initially struggled to take control at the crease, scoring their early runs from false shots, but the edges got thicker and by the end of their 145-run stand were practically dashing. Then Denly padded up to a straight one from Panesar and Dawid Malan followed soon afterwards for a single, edging a lifter during a rapid second spell from James Anyon. That brought Morgan into the game, while Rogers blended into the background.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/may/31/middlesex-eoin-morgan-england-sussex
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