Revived Morgan ready for Australia T20 clash

LONDON: England Twenty20 captain Eoin Morgan believes he is "twice the man" after taking several weeks off ahead of Monday´s match against Australia in Cardiff.

The lone Twenty20 international at Sophia Gardens will be the Middlesex batsman´s first competitive fixture since August 1.

Morgan was struggling for runs at domestic level, averaging 26 in Twenty20, 10.16 in first-class cricket and just 6.66 in the 50-over cup.

He came into the county season having had a busy period where he lead England in their woeful 50-over World Cup campaign in Australia and New Zealand before heading off to the Twenty20 Indian Premier League.

Middlesex then decided to stand him down, believing this would ensure Morgan -- not a member of England´s Ashes-winning side -- was fit for white-ball duty against Australia.

What could have been a potentially awkward situation was eased by the fact that Middlesex director of cricket Angus Fraser is also an England selector.

England have just seven Twenty20 matches ahead of the World Twenty20 in India in March.

The previous edition of the global tournament ended with England suffering a humiliating defeat by the Netherlands in a first-round exit, although the 2010 World Twenty20 in the Caribbean did see England win their only major limited overs international tournament.

Monday´s fixture precedes a five-match one-day international series against Australia, the 50-over world champions, and Morgan said: "Our priority now turns to the T20 World Cup and driving our one-day cricket forward."

Meanwhile Australia are set to give an international debut to Victoria all-rounder Marcus Stoinis on Monday, in a side where only five players who featured in the 3-2 Ashes series defeat by England are likely to be included. (AFP)