You might think that being run out batting with your captain on debut, without having faced a ball would dent the confidence of most young players, in particular one who had yet to reach his seventeenth birthday.

Ireland squad in 2003 at Shenley

But anyone who knows Eoin Morgan knows that from his earliest days on the pitch he never lacked confidence or doubted his own ability.

The day in 2003 after that debut disaster the Irish side arrived at Shenley to face Club Cricket Conference, a beautiful setting that bears the name The Denis Compton Oval.

A fitting setting for someone who would later grace the Middlesex side to show his worth.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, a pre-match niggle forced a change to Ireland’s established opening pair as Captain Jason Molins dropped down the order.

Adi Birrell entered the dressing room and simply asked did anyone fancy opening the batting alongside Jeremy Bray - without hesitation Eoin put his hand up, at least metaphorically, as he said, “I’ll do it!”

I took a picture of the two of them as they sat waiting for the fielding side to take the field and another as they headed to the middle.

Jeremy Bray and Eoin Morgan

No cheery smile for the camera both pics show someone focussed on the job in hand.

In the first over Eoin took a stride down the pitch and launched a boundary back over the bowler’s head.

Eoin went on to score 71, a hint of what was in store in his future career, on the day he ‘put his hand up’.

Eoin Morgan and Jeremy Bray stride to the crease