Becoming English no problem for Morgan

Not many people who've already made 23 one-day international appearances can contemplate the prospect of a debut on the world stage.

Yet that is the position batsman Eoin Morgan finds himself in on the eve of England's series-opening one-day international against the West Indies here at Headingley on Thursday.

And with star run-scorer Kevin Pietersen ruled out of the whole three-match series with an Achilles injury, Morgan's chances of playing for his adopted country increased greatly.

The 22-year-old Middlesex left-hander made the last of his 23 ODI appearances for his native Ireland against Canada in a 2011 World Cup qualifier in South Africa in April.

However, Ireland is not a Test match nation and doesn't have as great a programme of top-flight ODIs as cricket's leading countries.

Morgan, also in England's squad for next month's World Twenty20, has long been preparing for a change of allegiance.

"I've been playing for Middlesex since I was 15 and have been living here since I was 17," said Morgan.

"I started my qualification then and have done four years of 210 days (the required residential period). I was always going to play for England but obviously helping out Ireland along the way was a good experience."

Morgan's position is similar to that of his former Ireland and Middlesex team-mate Ed Joyce, now at Sussex, who has also played for England.

"Ed's a very good friend of mine and I have spoken to him a lot since I was given the nod," Morgan said.

Morgan played for Ireland at the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean and believes that his exposure to international cricket at a relatively early age will stand him in good stead.

"My time away at the World Cup and playing internationals against the big nations has helped me out quite a lot," he said.

"Staying at hotels with the likes of South Africa and Australia when I was 19 or 20 was a great experience, just watching how the teams operate."

Morgan has developed a reputation for innovative strokeplay, in part based on his experience of playing the Gaelic sport of hurling, which combines elements of hockey and lacrosse, as a schoolboy.

In particular he has won attention for a shot he calls the 'change-up', a kind of modified reverse-sweep.

"I read an article that said sportsmen take the skills they learn between nine and 12-years-old, from whatever sport they play, with them throughout their career," Morgan explained.

"It was just a coincidence that I played hurling at school when I was younger and the actual grip for hurling is the same as the reverse-sweep."

If Morgan does play on Thursday he could well find himself batting with Middlesex team-mate Owais Shah, a veteran of 57 one-day internationals.

"I don't think Eoin will have any problems settling into this team," Shah said. "I've been a fan of his for the last three years, he's wonderfully talented. He he got 161 (in a on-day match) against Kent last week and it was just phenomenal.

"He's a very level-headed guy who I think will just walk out there and play another game," the 30-year-old right-hander added. "He will take it all in his stride."

Meanwhile, Morgan, who was spotted by Middlesex when playing for the Ireland Under-17 team in England, said he felt no clash of loyalties having previously spent time going to school as a 13-year-old in Dulwich, south London.

"I have some fantastic memories and have taken a lot from playing with Ireland. But it was inevitable and everyone at home knew the path I was going to take.

"From the time I went to school here this has been where I've wanted to be."