Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
Cricket Ireland has today congratulated Eoin Morgan on his career after his recent retirement announcement.
Eoin Morgan played for Ireland 63 times between 2003-2009, scoring 2,075 runs at an average of 37.05 across formats. One of only three internationals to have scored an international double-century for Ireland (209* v UAE, 2007), the Dublin-born left-handed batter struck three centuries and 12 half-centuries during his Irish career. Part of the Irish squad at the 2007 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, he played club cricket for Rush, North County and Malahide, and played for Ireland at two Under-19 World Cups (2004 and 2006) captaining the side at the 2006 event and finishing the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer.
Warren Deutrom, Chief Executive of Cricket Ireland, said:
“Whenever an internationally-renowned cricketer retires from the game, it is right to not only reflect on their performances, but also their impact on the broader game. Eoin Morgan can rightly be proud of his career spanning two countries, not only for the way he played and his successes on the field of play, but also as an inspiration for a new generation of kids, including in Ireland.
“Eoin was always seen as a star of the Irish set-up coming through the under-age ranks and had a successful career in the green before making the decision to move across to England. Debuting for Ireland at the age of 17, he was part of Ireland’s legendary 2007 Cricket World Cup squad that put Irish cricket firmly on the map – a team performance that has gone down in the annals of Irish cricket folklore and has helped lead us to where we are today.
“Yes, of course, we would have preferred to retain someone of Eoin’s exceptional talent within our set-up, but we understood his decision to move to England. It was a different time and our stage of development as a cricket nation meant we were simply unable to help him fulfil his career aspirations. We should, from an Irish perspective, feel proud that an Irish-born cricketer, raised in our system, has subsequently gone on to make such a substantial contribution to the game over there, including lifting a World Cup trophy.
“One thing we always admired about Eoin was that, despite his increasingly hectic schedule and commitments with England and in franchise cricket tournaments, he never forgot where he came from and was seen periodically back at Rush Cricket Club whenever he visited home.
“We wish Eoin the very best of luck with what comes next, and we look forward to welcoming him to an Irish game when next he is in the country.”
