HIS first visit to Trent Bridge was nothing short of a nightmare, but Eoin Morgan now has reason to think of NG2 in altogether more memorable light.

Back in June 2006, the Irish-born player was part of a Middlesex side routed by an innings by Notts inside days as Charlie Shreck ran riot.

The Cornishman twice snared Morgan for just seven and five on his way to 12 wickets in the match. A second innings contribution of 8-31 in just 14 overs saw Middlesex skittled for 49.

For Morgan, then just 19, it was a chastening lesson in what can happen at Nottingham if a batting side fails to show application against the swinging ball.

Whether or not that experience was in his mind yesterday, as he returned for the first time since in a first-class capacity, only he will know.

What is clear is that, in making a brilliant maiden England century in only his third innings, he played the Pakistani swing men better than anyone.

In their series against Australia, that preceded this one, the two Mohammads, Asif and Amir, had caused Ricky Ponting's side all sorts of problems with their ability to nip the ball around in the air.

Having been asked to bowl first under cloudy Nottingham skies, they had the chance to do the same against England.

And they succeeded – to a point. The pair took four wickets between them either side of lunch to plunge the hosts into the not inconsiderable hole of 118-4.

But when Morgan came to the crease, he first steadied the ship and then put England firmly on the front foot.

While the 23-year-old has flourished in one-day cricket and was a key performer in his adopted country's World Twenty20 triumph in the West Indies in May, questions have been asked about his technique at Test level.

Some claimed he would come unstuck against the top Test nations, having made a promising debut in five-day cricket against minnows Bangladesh.

But Morgan went a long way to silencing his doubters with a confident, boundary-laden knock – and in doing so put one foot on the plane to Australia for the Ashes.

The replacement for the injured Ian Bell mixed the orthodox with the occasional moment of invention – one trademark reverse sweep in particular was a joy to watch.

There was only one genuine cause for concern on Morgan's part on his way to three figures, when on 78.

He was given out lbw by Asoka De Silva to Danish Kaneria but, with two failed referrals allowed per team per innings in this series, Morgan asked the third umpire for a second opinion.

Replays showed that the ball was spinning too much and past leg stump, leaving Morgan to breathe again.

By the time the Middlesex batsman reached his hundred in some style, with a thumping straight drive for six off Shoaib Malik in the 80th over, the sun was shining and England were closing in on 300.

He remained unbeaten at the close, having notched 125 from 182 balls, with 18 fours and one six.

Morgan found a doughty ally in Paul Collingwood, who batted, as ever, as if his life depended on it.

In accumulating a Trent Bridge Test best 81 not out (168 balls, 11 fours) he helped Morgan put on a mammoth 213 in 66 overs.

It was the highest fifth wicket partnership for England against Pakistan, beating the 192 put on by Denis Compton and Trevor Bailey, also at Trent Bridge in 1954.

Slower-scoring and scratchier than his colleague, Collingwood, like Morgan, had his own slice of good fortune.

On 48, Collingwood advanced down the track to strike Kaneria over the top but missed by some distance, only for keeper Kamran Akmal to fumble and spurn a simple stumping.

It was not the only error from Pakistan's man with the gloves, having dropped England skipper Andrew Strauss on 15.

A wicket then would have put the pressure on England. Instead, when Cook (8) was first to go, England had raced onto 42 in the ninth over.

Strauss (45) looked set to go to fifty but, with the total on 93, he flashed loosely at Amir outside off stump and was taken by Akmal.

After lunch, Pakistan applied the squeeze with Asif and Amir, bowling in tandem, yielding 21 runs in 10 overs.

They also picked up two wickets with former Notts man Kevin Pietersen (9) continuing his bad form as he inside edged Asif onto his stumps.

And, in the very next over, Trott (38), having withstood a second referral, was then adjudged out to a third, Amir winning a leg before shout.

But that only brought in number six Morgan to partner Collingwood and it was the Irishman's day.