BRAD Wheal claimed the scalp of England one-day captain Eoin Morgan on his Lord’s debut.

The 18 year-old did Morgan’s Ashes hopes no favours when he dismissed him for a two-ball duck as Middlesex slipped to 113-5 in reply to Hampshire’s 176.

Middlesex eventually recovered to close day two on 298-8, but after claiming Morgan as his second wicket in three balls Wheal (3-83) took his third wicket with three overs remaining, by bowling James Harris with a delivery that kept low.

The South African hopes to qualify for England during the next seven years and is playing only his third LV County Championship match after coming in for the out-of-form James Tomlinson.

Hampshire did well in the morning session to claw their way back into contention with Gareth Berg and Jackson Bird taking a wicket in the first two overs of the day before Wheal’s double whammy.

Generating good pace from the pavilion end, he hurried Joe Burns onto the back foot and plucked out the middle stump with his third ball of the day, before enjoying Morgan’s prized scalp.

Wheal, who made his first-class debut against Middlesex six weeks ago, claimed Morgan as the fourth wicket of his career when, on a pitch demanding a measure of patience and application, the Irishman chased a wide-ish ball and was well caught low down at first slip by Will Smith.

Berg, in his first game back at Lord’s since being released by Middlesex last year, then went around the wicket and squared up James Franklin.

But as the ball lost its hardness batting became slightly easier, although a slow pitch and accurate bowling hardly encouraged lavish stroke play.

Middlesex settled for often attritional accumulation after lunch. Nick Compton (87) glued their innings together until he came down the pitch to hit Danny Briggs’ left-arm spin through mid-wicket, was beaten by some turn and edged low to first slip.

After he fell, Middlesex went 28 deliveries without adding to their score and John Simpson’s 143-ball half-century was greeted with ironic cheers .

Simpson (64) was put down by Bird at mid-off off Berg on 45 before driving fatally at the Australian after he had taken the new ball.

Batting is not getting any easier. A pitch with a good covering of grass, which has offered extravagant seam movement at times, is beginning to take spin.

Hampshire bowling: Bird 26-3-77-2, Wheal 22-1-83-3, Berg 24-4-47-2, Briggs 21- 7-41-1, Vince 10-1-33-0, Smith 6-1-10-0.