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Morgan previously represented Ireland in cricket. Eranga Jayawardena
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Irishman Eoin Morgan is the new one day England cricket captain

The Dubliner will lead the side for the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

IRISHMAN EOIN MORGAN will captain the England cricket team after Alastair Cook was dismissed from the role following a miserable run of form.

Cook has scored just one fifty in his last 22 one-day innings for England and he has paid the price for failing to stop the rot during his country’s recent 5-2 series defeat in Sri Lanka.

England’s selectors have decided to axe Cook as skipper, and Morgan is now set to lead the side for the tri-series in Australia after Christmas and then the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in February and March.

After England’s series-ending defeat in Colombo on Tuesday, Cook, who hasn’t scored a one-day century since June 2012, conceded he could have no complaints if he lost the one-day captaincy.

But the decision to remove him from the role with the World Cup looming is still a major reversal by Paul Downton, the managing director of England cricket, and head coach Peter Moores, who have given Cook absolute backing this year.

Cook is expected to be able to continue captaining the Test side and will focus on England’s bid to regain the Ashes against Australia next year.

Yorkshire’s Gary Ballance is believed to be the leading contender to replace Cook in England’s 15-man World Cup squad, which will be announced on Saturday, with Moeen Ali and Alex Hales a potential new opening partnership.

Updated at 09.38

- © AFP, 2014

Additional reporting by Paul Fennessy

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