Middlesex's Eoin Morgan in low-key start to regain England place

Eoin Morgan began his quest to regain his England place in the low-key surroundings of a Middlesex second-team game at Richmond on Friday. The Irish left-hander, who was dropped after a poor series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, returned this week from the Indian Premier League, where he has endured a deeply frustrating if financially rewarding stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders in which he did not play a game. Angus Fraser, Middlesex's managing director of cricket, confirmed that Morgan is playing in a 40-over second team fixture against Surrey before returning to first-team action in the CB40 at Leicester on Sunday. He is then likely to return to first-class cricket in the County Championship match against Lancashire that starts at Liverpool on Wednesday.