England cricketers are used to getting a hard time Down Under – mainly at the crease. But Eoin Morgan, the new captain of the nation’s one-day team, wasn’t prepared for the bouncer hurled at him yesterday from outside the ground. Hours before he was due to lead out his side against Australia, the 28-year-old batsman found himself at the centre of a bizarre blackmail plot involving lurid sex messages and videos. Scroll down for video England cricket captain Eoin Morgan, pictured with his current girlfriend Tara Ridgway, was the focus of a £35,000 blackmail plot over a fling with an Australian woman five years ago, it was revealed today
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England Cricket Board received email demanding money in last 48 hours
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Emailer had threatened to reveal details of Morgan's past relationship
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He also threatened to release video found on phone unless cash was paid
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Demanded money before the first ball in tomorrow's Tri-Series match
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Emails were traced to an individual in Hobart, Australia
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He is the unnamed woman's new boyfriend, and has apologised
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Man named in Australian media as safety consultant Nick Emery
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His girlfriend has been named in Australia as Brooke Tsakirakis
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No further action is to be taken against would-be blackmailer
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In one interview with the @placeholder press yesterday, Emery claimed he had found compromising messages between the pair from just last year.
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Morgan, who has been dating Australian model and law student Tara Ridgway for the last three years, is understood to have had a relationship with Miss Tsakirakis five years ago while he was playing cricket in @placeholder.
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The board also disputed @placeholder’s claim that there was some kind of relationship between the pair last year, insisting that the dalliance took place five years ago when both parties were single.
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After meeting ECB officials and Australian police officers, @placeholder said he had made a mistake because he was in a ‘bad head space’.
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Morgan and Ms Ridgway pictured together in @placeholder earlier this month
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‘The suspect has been identified as an @placeholder resident of Hobart who is the new boyfriend of the woman Morgan dated five years ago.