Morgan joins KP in IPL but Swann left on shelf
ENGLAND batsman Eoin Morgan is set to join international team-mate Kevin Pietersen at Bangalore Royal Challengers after the Indian Premier League outfit snapped him up at auction.
Bangalore paid £134,000 for the 23-year-old left-hander, but the seven other Englishmen on offer at yesterday’s sale were all overlooked, including in-form spinner Graeme Swann.
England stars Monty Panesar and Jonathan Trott were ignored, as were Tim Bresnan, Robert Key, Mark Ramprakash, Anthony McGrath and all 11 Pakistani players at the auction.
West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard and New Zealand fast-bowler Shane Bond both attracted the maximum bids of £458,000. Mumbai Indians eventually snared Pollard after winning the undisclosed bid tie-breaker, while Bond signed for Kolkata Knight Riders following the same procedure.
Middlesex man Morgan is not as some of his fellow Englishmen in the IPL and is yet to win a Test cap, but is highly regarded for his athleticism and all-round limited-overs game.
ALL THE RAJ | ENGLISHMEN IN IPLRavi Bopara – Kings XI Punjab
Paul Collingwood – Delhi Daredevils
Dimitri Mascarenhas – Rajasthan Royals
Eoin Morgan – Bangalore Royal Challengers
Graham Napier – Mumbai Indians
Kevin Pietersen – Bangalore Royal Challengers
Owais Shah – Kolkata Knight Riders