CNN talk show host Piers Morgan has faced up to an over from Brett Lee, and the results werent pretty.
Piers Morgan salutes the crowd after facing an over from Brett Lee in the MCG nets. Source: Getty Images
IT wasn't the fields or the beaches on which his beloved Winston Churchill urged the fight, but Piers Morgan can at least say he never surrendered.
Facing "overwhelming odds" - and Brett Lee bowling in excess of 130km/h - the outspoken former Fleet Street editor turned CNN talkshow host put his arm, ribs, back and just about every part of his body where his mouth has been for weeks.
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Piers Morgan salutes the crowd after facing an over from Brett Lee in the MCG nets. Source: Getty Images
Morgan, who told his 3.8 million Twitter followers how soft his beloved English cricket team had become, recently urged the batsmen to "grow a pair" and that he'd "love" to face Aussie speedster Mitchell Johnson.
Never one to back down from a challenge, that escalated into a brief - albeit very painful - net session against Lee at the MCG on Friday, with at least 2000 baying Aussie fans, including Johnson and Peter Siddle, looking on.
Morgan was sat on his rump, bowled and struck three times in one fiery over in which Lee extended himself to "about 85 per cent" capacity.
Piers Morgan tries to sledge Brett Lee during their over in the MCG nets. Image: Channel 9 / WWOS Source: Supplied
Lee said he'd done a "public service" by inflicting a bit of pain.
"He got hurt but he didn't get maimed, so that's a positive step," the former Aussie paceman said.
"You have to give full credit to the guy - he's going to be really sore tomorrow.
"He has a serious, serious bad lump on his wrist, he got a couple (in the) ribs, one on the back - that noise it made was a sickening blow.
"But he kept on going, so you have to take your hat off to the guy.
"The biggest smile around the ground was from Mitchell Johnson I think. I looked over at Mitch and he gave me a wink, he was quite chuffed."
Piers Morgan falls to the ground after a bouncer from Brett Lee. Image: Channel 9 / WWOS Source: Supplied
Lee later tweeted a picture of what appeared to be Morgan's arm complete with a nasty bruise.
Morgan joked he felt "like Brian Close in 1976" after the West Indies left him bruised and battered, but said it hadn't changed his opinion about the English batsmen.
"No. It's made me reassess what you need out here on an Ashes tour and that is courage, fortitude and a Churchillian spirit of never giving in despite overwhelming odds," he said.
"It was quite intimidating - a big crowd and the Aussies all came out to watch a proper Pom with a bit of guts to him and I think they were all quite impressed.
"I think Johnson was pleased he wasn't bowling at me.
"I came to do a job - I knew I wouldn't hit him, particularly, but I thought if I could just survive an over, I'd make a point on behalf of all the England fans who'd paid to be here, which is you just have to show a bit of stiff upper lip."
Brett Lee congratulates Piers Morgan after the Englishman faced an over of his bowling in the MCG nets. Source: Supplied
Morgan said West Indian stars Viv Richards and Chris Gayle had advised him to advance down the pitch to upset Lee's length.
"Unfortunately, despite (Lee's) nice-guy image, he's a very nasty piece of work," Morgan said afterwards having been iced for growing bruises.
"But he saw me coming, he loved the crowd and he speared it straight into my guts, my hands and everything - a deliberate attempt to maim me.
"And that's despite his own mother telling him this morning not to hurt this guy, whoever he is.
"But my central point was not to score big runs, but to survive the over intact and as you may have seen by the way I was beckoning him like Rocky Balboa, the faster he bowled, the harder he hit me, the more I told him to crank it up.
"That's what I call British spirit and that's what I want to see from the England team going forward.
"I hope (England coach) Andy Flower is watching, because I showed more guts in that 10-minute session than his team have shown in four Test matches.
"So I'm ready, ready for the call."
On Twitter, his efforts won some praise from Chris Gayle.
Morgan is a cricket tragic, who is always keen to let his feelings be known on Twitter, especially during Test matches.
It was on the social media site that today's novelty contest was allegedly born, after Morgan unleashed on Alistair Cook when he lost his wicket in Adelaide.
Morgan slammed the England captain's "reckless stupidity" and called him "pathetic". The former village cricketer later claimed he would relish facing Aussie paceman Mitchell Johnson and that England's batsmen needed to "grow a pair".
Professional courtesy led to Lee firing back at Morgan, wondering how he would cope facing the sort of deliveries Johnson was unleashing and offering to let him find out in the MCG nets.
Morgan replied: "Game on".
Chris Rogers and Steve Smith have embarked on a rebuilding mission after Australia lost three early wickets in their first innings at the MCG.
Dave Warner and Shane Watson are both dismissed before lunch, after Mitchell Johnson earlier helped bowl England out for 255 on day two at the MCG.
Unsurprisingly, there was plenty of Twitter trash talk ahead of today's showdown.
Morgan posted footage of himself getting in the ring with boxer Manny Pacquiao as well as a link to Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar hitting Lee for three boundaries in an over in 2008.
Lee replied that it was likely to more resemble footage of him smashing Tendulkar on the helmet with a bouncer.
Other cricketers and sporting stars were quick to join in, including former Formula 1 driver Mark Webber, who received a sharp retort from Morgan.
To add to the showmanship, Morgan even claimed he had to sign a personal indemnity form sent by Channel 9.
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