England drop Morgan for Sri Lanka

ENGLAND batsman Eoin Morgan has been omitted from the Test squad for the tour to Sri Lanka next month.

Thursday, March 01, 2012

ENGLAND batsman Eoin Morgan has been omitted from the Test squad for the tour to Sri Lanka next month.The left-hander scored 199 runs in 17 innings on the tour of the United Arab Emirates and averages just 30 in Tests.Ravi Bopara, who hit two fifties in the one-day series win over Pakistan, will vie for a place in the middle order with the uncapped Samit Patel.James Tredwell is a fourth spinner in the 16-man squad, while fit-again Tim Bresnan boosts the seam bowling ranks.It is a change of philosophy for England, who chose five seamers and two spinners for the tour to the UAE.Graham Onions, who had replaced the injured Chris Tremlett on that trip, is not included, while Morgan is the only batsman to make way after the disastrous Test campaign, where only wicketkeeper Matt Prior averaged above 30 as Pakistan won all three matches to inflict England’s first series defeat since 2009.