Morgan gets county rest ahead of Australia duty

LONDON: England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan is to be rested by county side Middlesex in a bid to make sure he is fresh for upcoming white-ball duty against Australia, the county has announced.
Former Ireland international Morgan, who has been struggling for runs in domestic cricket, will miss three 50-over Cup clashes and a first-class County Championship match against Sussex.
England are due to face Australia in a lone Twenty20 international at Cardiff on August 31 and the two sides are then scheduled to play five One-day Internationals in September.
Left-handed batsman Morgan, not involved in the ongoing Ashes Test series, will be replaced as Middlesex one-day captain by James Franklin, the former New Zealand all-rounder.
“Eoin has been on the go since October 2014 and is in need of a rest,” Middlesex director of cricket Angus Fraser said.
“He has been working his socks off away from matches trying to find the form he wants and it has so far not brought the results he is looking for,” added Fraser, an England selector and himself a former international fast-medium bowler.
“We believe a week or two away from cricket will allow him to recharge and to play the cricket he wants for the remainder of the season.”