When Piers Morgan failed to cope with Brett Lee's deliveries

According to the paper, about 1000 fans, some standing on trucks and hand railings, crammed around the MCG outdoor nets during the tea break to watch the TV host, former newspaper editor and Sussex village cricketer take on one of the fastest bowlers of the modern era.

Piers Morgan salutes the crowd after facing deliveries from former Australian paceman Brett Lee (in red) as commentator Mark Nicholas (left) and Shane Warne look on at MCG yesterday. Pic/Getty Images.

Morgan was challenged by Lee after taking to Twitter, where he has nearly 3.9 million followers, to question the courage of several England batsmen in the face of Mitchell Johnson's onslaught during the Ashes series.

The 48-year-old, a cricket tragic, had been talking a tough game in the past few days but his performance against Lee showed it was all bluff and bluster. Morgan was bowled on his fifth delivery and failed to get bat on ball to any of the six deliveries he faced from Lee.