Arthur Morris

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This article is about the cricketer. For other uses, see Arthur Morris (disambiguation).

Arthur Morris
Morris in his cricket whites, c. 1947
Personal information
Full name
Arthur Robert Morris
Born(1922-01-19)19 January 1922
Bondi, New South Wales, Australia
Died22 August 2015(2015-08-22) (aged 93)
Sydney, Australia
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
BattingLeft-handed
BowlingLeft-arm unorthodox spin
RoleBatsman
International information
National side
Test debut (cap 171)29 November 1946 v England
Last Test11 June 1955 v West Indies
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1940/41–1954/55New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class
Matches 46 162
Runs scored 3,533 12,614
Batting average 46.48 53.67
100s/50s 12/12 46/46
Top score 206 290
Balls bowled 111 860
Wickets 2 12
Bowling average 25 49.33
5 wickets in innings 0 0
10 wickets in match 0 0
Best bowling 1/5 3/36
Catches/stumpings 15/– 73/–
Source: CricketArchive, 24 November 2007

Arthur Robert Morris

Australian Cricket Board's Team of the Century in 2000 and was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame
in 2001.

In his youth, Morris excelled at rugby union as well as cricket, being selected for the state schoolboys' team in both sports. Originally trained in spin bowling, Morris developed as a batsman during his teens and during the 1940–41 season became the first player in the world to score two centuries on his first-class debut. His career was interrupted by the Second World War, during which he served in the Australian Army and gained selection in its rugby union team. Upon the resumption of cricket in 1946, Morris made his Test debut against England and quickly made himself a core member of the team. He made a century in his third match and scored twin centuries in the following Test, becoming only the second Australian to do so in an Ashes Test. His rise was such that he was made a selector during the Invincibles tour after only 18 months in the team.

After the 4–0 series win over England, which was Bradman's farewell series, Morris became Australia's vice-captain and was expected to be its leading batsman. He started well, scoring two centuries during Australia's first series in the post-Bradman era, a tour to South Africa that saw Australia win the Test series 4–0. By the end of the South African tour, Morris had amassed nine Test centuries and his batting average was over 65, but thereafter his form declined. Australia increasingly fell on hard times as the core of Bradman's team aged and retired. Morris was overlooked for the captaincy and then briefly dropped as his cricketing prowess waned. His career ended after his first wife became terminally ill. Later in his life, Morris served as a trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground for over twenty years.

In 2017, Morris was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.[1]

Early years

The son of a schoolteacher who played for

Dungog, then to Newcastle before returning to Sydney in the suburb of Beverly Hills. By this time, Morris' parents had separated.[3][4]

His father encouraged him to play sports and he showed promise in a variety of ball sports, particularly cricket, rugby and tennis. Aged 12, he gained a place as a slow bowler for

school captain (head boy) in Year 11.[3]

In his last two years of high school, he was selected for Combined High Schools teams in both crickets—as captain in both years—and rugby.

Sydney University, O'Reilly moved him into the opening position without prior notice, where he remained.[3][4][6]

While still at high school, Morris was selected to play for the New South Wales Second XI against

Victoria in January 1939,[6][7] his first taste of representative cricket.[6] However, Morris made only six and three and did not gain further honours.[7] After finishing his secondary education at the end of 1939, Morris became a clerk in the Prosecutions Branch at Sydney Town Hall. He was chosen to make his debut, aged 18, for New South Wales against Queensland at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the 1940–41 season, a season in which there was no Sheffield Shield cricket due to the Second World War. He scored centuries in both innings, becoming the first player in the world to achieve the feat on debut.[4][8] Morris made 148 in the first innings and participated in a second wicket partnership of 261 with Sid Barnes; he added 111 in the second innings, completing his feat on 28 December.[9] He gave chances that were dropped early in both innings, but impressed observers with his ability to remain settled.[3] New South Wales went on to win by 404 runs.[7] He was unable to maintain the standard of his debut in later performances, but finished the war-shortened season with 385 runs at a strong average of 55.14 in four matches.[6][7][8]

Second World War and Test debut

Morris' first-class cricket career was interrupted by the Second World War when domestic matches were cancelled at the end of the season. On 5 January 1943, he enlisted in the

Australian Services XI in 1945, something that baffled commentators,[3] although he did play a one-off military match in 1943.[12]

He returned to his pre-war clerical job at the Sydney Town Hall, but soon switched to a job with motor parts distributor Stack & Company, which allowed him more time for cricket commitments.[3] Morris was automatically restored to the Sheffield Shield team in 1946–47 upon the resumption of competition. He made 27 and 98 in his first match against Queensland,[7] and was selected for an Australian XI match against Wally Hammond's touring MCC team when first-choice opener Bill Brown was injured. In what was effectively a trial for the Test team, Morris scored 115 and featured in a 196-run partnership with Test captain Don Bradman, who scored 106.[7][11] It was the beginnings of a productive cricketing relationship. Morris said of Bradman: "He was marvellous. If you had a problem, you could go to him and sort it out. I found him relaxed and straightforward".[13]

After scoring 81 for New South Wales in his next match, against the MCC,[7] Morris was selected to make his Test debut in the First Test against England in Brisbane.[7][14] He failed in his first two Tests, managing just two and five, although Australia won both matches by an innings.[7] Despite being criticised for having a "loose technique" by Neville Cardus,[11] Bradman advised Morris to stick to his approach.[11] Morris responded by scoring 83 and 110 in the traditional pre-Christmas match between New South Wales and Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the top score in both innings.[13] However, he was unable to prevent an innings defeat.[7] He was retained for the Third Test in Melbourne, but made only 21 in the first innings. If he had failed a fourth time, it could have allowed another player to claim his position,[13] but Morris secured his place with his maiden Test century, scoring 155 in the second innings,[13] and making the most of an ideal batting surface.[15] After defending stoutly at the beginning of the innings, Morris accelerated his scoring, employing a wide range of strokes to reach 150 in six hours.[13]

Morris managed a century in each innings of the

2/24[16] at the end of play on the second day in response to England's first innings score of 460, Morris combined with Lindsay Hassett, who scored 78, to lead a recovery. After England's Denis Compton scored his second century of the match in the second innings, Morris put in another determined effort to ensure a draw. With the match secure, Morris played more aggressively towards the end in an unbeaten 99-run partnership with Bradman.[13] Ahead of the final Test, Morris made 44 and 47 for New South Wales in a drawn match against Hammond's men.[7] He made 57 in the Fifth Test in Sydney to end the series with an aggregate of 503 runs, at an average of 71.85,[8][14] second only to Bradman.[17] He ended his first full first-class season with 1234 runs at 68.55, partnering Sid Barnes at the top of the order at both state and international level.[7] E. W. Swanton wrote "Morris set himself up as a No. 1 for Australia for a while to come ... Arthur at his best looked out of the top draw, a left-hander with all the strokes ... and what the figures do not say is that few more charming men have played for Australia , and I cannot name one who was more popular with his opponents".[18]

Invincibles tour

Main article: Arthur Morris with the Australian cricket team in England in 1948
See also: 1948 Ashes series and Australian cricket team in England in 1948

Morris started the 1947–48 Australian season strongly, scoring 162 in his second match as New South Wales crushed the touring Indians by an innings ahead of the Tests.[7] He played in the first four Tests, scoring 45 and an unbeaten 100 in the Third Test victory in Melbourne.[14][19] In that match, he dropped down the order as Bradman used the tail-enders to protect the batsmen from a sticky wicket. Morris then came in and combined with Bradman in a double century stand.[20] The selectors wished to trial other possible choices for the 1948 tour of England,[6] including Brown in the opening position, so wither Barnes or Morris had to sit out. This was decided by a coin toss. Morris lost and did not play; he was given 10 pounds as compensation.[21] Morris thus ended the series with 209 runs at an average of 52.25.[14] Australia won the final Test to seal the series 4–0,[19] and Morris ended the season with 772 runs at 55.14.[7] He scored four consecutive half-centuries for his state as they reclaimed the Sheffield Shield from Victoria.[7][22] For the first two Tests, Morris was paired with the recovered Brown, before the latter was replaced by Barnes.[7]

Morris, the recently appointed co-captain of New South Wales, had greatly impressed Australia captain Don Bradman, to the extent that Bradman made Morris one of the three selectors for the 1948 tour of England.[11][23] Morris was a key part of Bradman's inner circle in planning for the tour. Bradman had long harboured the ambition of touring England without losing a match.[24]

Morris marked his first-class debut on English soil with a fluent 138 against

slips cordon and had become fidgety and shuffled across the crease.[29] He rectified this, and success followed with 184 against Sussex in the final match[28] before the First Test.[7][30] Five more centuries before the end of the season.[7][31]

Morris' Test form peaked in the series, heading the Test averages with 696 runs at 87.00, and he was the only player to compile three Test centuries.

cover drives.[36] Morris featured in century partnerships with Bradman in the first innings and Barnes in the second innings,[34] laying the foundation of a lead of 595 runs.[24][37]

After being rested against

six.[24][40] Fingleton said that "Morris flayed it [the home team's bowling] in all directions",[41] while former English Test paceman Maurice Tate said "Tom [Goddard] is not used to batsmen using their feet to him ... the county batsmen diddle and diddle [shuffle about indecisively instead of quickly moving into position and attacking] to him and that gets him many wickets."[42] Australia promptly crushed the locals by an innings.[7]

Morris followed his effort in Bristol with two half centuries, 51 and 54 not out in the drawn Third Test.[7] He then struck 108 against Middlesex in a tour match.[7] Morris' century meant that he had amassed 504 runs in just over a week of cricket.[7][43]

The Fourth Test at

strike until it subsided. Morris passed his century and Australia reached tea at 1/288 with Morris on 150. The pair had added 167 during the session. Morris was eventually dismissed for 182, having survived multiple chances and partnered Bradman in a partnership of 301 in 217 minutes.[44][49] He struck 33 fours in 290 minutes of batting.[38] Australia proceeded to accumulate the remaining 46 runs to secure the victory by seven wickets.[24][47][49]

Morris was the batsman at the other end of the pitch in the Fifth Test at

hooked the ball. Morris ran from his position at short square leg to take a difficult catch,[53] described by Fingleton as "one of the catches of the season".[53]

In recognition of his performances, Morris was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1949, described as "one of the world's best left-hand batsmen".[6][14] Neville Cardus, his former critic, praised Morris' performance during the Invincibles tour as "masterful, stylish, imperturbable, sure in defence, quick and handsome in stroke play. His batting is true to himself, charming and good mannered but reliant and thoughtful."[31]

Morris ended the first-class tour with 1,922 runs at 71.18, despite being troubled by a split between the first and second fingers of his left hand caused by constant jarring from the bat as he played the ball. The wound often opened while he was batting, forcing him to undergo a minor operation, which sidelined him from some matches in the latter part of the tour.[6]

Vice-captain of Australia

An innings-by-innings breakdown of Morris' Test match batting career, showing runs scored (red bars) and the average of the last ten innings (blue line).[14]

With the retirement of Bradman following the 1948 tour, Morris was regarded by commentators as Australia's leading batsman.[31] In the 1948–49 season, he scored 1,049 runs at 66.81 in nine matches with six centuries and two fifties,[7] taking his tally for the previous twelve months to 2,991 runs at 69.56, with 13 centuries.[31] He scored a century in each of his first three matches for the season, making 120 against Queensland, 108 in Bradman's Testimonial and 163 against Western Australia.[7] After a match without triple figures, he added 177 against Victoria.[7]

In a low-scoring match against Queensland, New South Wales started the final day needing 142 to win. Morris scored 108 in only 80 balls, steering his team to victory before lunch. Previously, only Bradman had scored a century before lunch in a Shield match.

Western Australian Cricket Association attempted to lure Morris to switch states, but he declined.[55]

Morris was appointed Australian vice-captain under Lindsay Hassett for a five-Test tour of

Liberal Party asking him to stand as a candidate in the forthcoming state elections, an offer that he declined.[63]

Morris played in Don Bradman's Testimonial Match

England toured Australia for the 1950–51 Ashes series and Morris started the season strongly. He scored 74, 101 and 78 not out as New South Wales won consecutive matches against Queensland. Morris then warmed up the Tests by amassing 168 for New South Wales against England.[7] However, he made a poor start to the Test series by aggregating only 45 runs in the first three Tests, which included two ducks. Four of his five dismissals came at the hands of Alec Bedser, leading commentators to claim that Bedser had a "hoodoo" on Morris and he was called "Bedser's Bunny".[64] In contrast to his struggles in the Tests, Morris played for an Australian XI and New South Wales in two matches against England during this period, and scored 100 and 105.[7] In a match against arch-rivals Victoria, Morris hammered 182 and targeted Test teammate Jack Iverson, who responded poorly to being attacked. The match ended in a draw but stopped Victoria's challenge for interstate supremacy. The attack effectively ended Iverson's run at the top of cricket.[7][65][66] However, on his 29th birthday, Morris again fell cheaply to Bedser in a tour match and he found himself eating at table 13 ahead of the next Test.[67]

Facing omission from the side, Morris recovered in the Fourth Test at the Adelaide Oval, where Hassett shielded him from Bedser.[68] This helped Morris to settle in before batting for a day and a half to score 206,[67] his highest Test score and only double century at the highest level. It constituted the majority of Australia's total of 371,[69] which set up 274-run victory and a 4–0 series lead, and was his seventh Ashes century, ranking him second only to Bradman at the time for Ashes centuries. Bradman described the innings as "faultless – a terrific Test double hundred",[70] comparing it to Morris's 182 and 196 at Headingley and The Oval during the 1948 Invincibles tour. Morris ended the series with a half-century in Melbourne in Australia's only loss, to give him a series aggregate of 321 runs at 35.66. It was the first Test loss he had played in after 24 matches for Australia.[14] In contrast to his below par Test series, Morris was in strong form during the first-class season; he scored three centuries against England in the tour matches and compiled six in all to finish with 1,221 runs at 58.14.[7] Despite these performances, the press continued to emphasise his perceived difficulties against Bedser.[70]

Difficulties against the West Indies

The 1951–52 season saw the second tour to Australia by the West Indies. Morris experimented with his stance during the winter in response to criticism about his footwork when facing Bedser. Morris felt that his problems had arisen because he attempted to play excessively on the leg side.[71] He opened his season by punishing the Queenslanders with a score of 253 in a Shield match and then scored 210 against Victoria.[7][72] In the first of these innings, Morris had been ill but he struck 253 of his team's 400, with the last 50 coming in only 17 minutes of batting.[73] His Test form was unimpressive though; he started steadily, with 122 runs in the first two Tests, which were won by Australia.[14]

The Third Test in Adelaide was Morris's first Test as captain, after Hassett withdrew on match eve due to a strained hip muscle.

bowled out for a low score of 82 but managed to restrict the West Indies to 105.[7][74] In all 22 wickets fell on the first day, the most in a Test on Australian soil in 50 years.[79] Morris proceeded to reverse the batting order in the second innings, with bowler Ian Johnson and Langley opening the batting. They were followed by bowlers Geff Noblet and Doug Ring, in order to protect the batsmen from a wicket that was still wet. Ring made an unexpected 67 and Morris scored 45 as Australia compiled 255, but it was not enough; the West Indies reached the target with six wickets in hand.[7][79][80]

After scores of 6 and 12 in the Fourth Test, he missed the final Test due to injury, ending an unproductive Test summer in which he managed only 186 runs at 23.25. The series was noted for Morris' difficulties against the spin duo of

left-arm orthodox and leg spin respectively. The pair was responsible for five of his eight dismissals on the tour.[81] Morris did not play a match after the new year and ended the season with 698 runs at 53.69.[7] He topped his state's Shield batting averages, leading from the front as New South Wales regained the title.[82]

Australia's decline

The 1952–53 season started poorly for Morris. He was replaced by Keith Miller as state captain, despite having scored almost 700 runs at a fast rate in the previous Shield season at an average above 50,

New South Wales Cricket Association,[85] but it was speculated among the media that his penchant for wearing brightly coloured rubber-soled shoes could have upset the conservative administrators,[83] and that Morris was too genial to be captain.[83] The media made Morris a scapegoat for dwindling public attendances following the retirement of Bradman and lobbied for Miller, who they deemed to be more appealing to the public.[79][83][84][86] Morris had led his state to two Shield triumphs, but remained national vice-captain ahead of Miller.[86] Richie Benaud said that Morris "led the side just as well as Miller but in a less flamboyant manner".[87]

In spite of this, Morris started the new season consistently, scoring four fifties in his first five innings, including 55 and 39 in his state's victory over the touring South Africans ahead of the Tests.[7] The on-field action against the South Africans brought no immediate upturn in Morris' Test fortunes. He made only one half-century and a total of 149 runs in the first three Tests as Australia took the series lead 2–1.[7] In the Second Test, he had progressed to 42 when he drove Hugh Tayfield into a close fielder.[88] The ball ballooned to mid-off and Tayfield ran back and dived parallel to the ball's trajectory and caught it.[88] By the standards of the era, the catch was regarded as miraculous.[88] He ended the series strongly, with 77 in the second innings of the Fourth Test in Adelaide, before making his best performances of 99 and 44 in Melbourne in the Fifth Test, which Australia lost by six wickets.[7] Morris' 99 occurred when he was involved in a mix-up while batting with debutant Ian Craig, Australia's youngest ever Test cricketer. Morris decided to sacrifice his wicket for Craig's in a run out.[89] His action meant that he had not scored a Test century for two years, and would have to wait another two years to reach the milestone again.[14] Morris was widely praised for his unselfishness and his sacrifice for his new teammate.[14][77][89] He ended the series with 370 runs at 41.11 and took his maiden Test wicket in Adelaide, that of John Watkins. The series ended 2–2, the first Test series in Morris' career that Australia had not won.[14][19] Morris ended the season with 105 in a warm-up match before the tour of England and totalled 913 runs at 45.65 for the summer.[7]

In 1953, Morris

Gentlemen of England.[7] Morris placed third in the aggregates but only ranked sixth in the averages.[95] He made many starts, with 11 fifties, but was only able to capitalise and reached triple figures only once.[7]

Speculation linked his difficulties on the field to his personal relationships: during the tour Morris had fallen in love with English showgirl Valerie Hudson; he spotted her when she was performing in the Crazy Gang vaudeville show at London's Victoria Palace.[96][97][98] The team was also hindered by tension brought on by a generational divide. The senior players, Morris among them, were retired servicemen who were drinkers, while the younger players tended to abstain from alcohol.[99] The seniors frequently stopped the team bus to drink at pubs, leaving their younger colleagues disgruntled at the fact that the squad travelled at around 10 miles per hour (16 km/h).[100]

Career twilight

With the retirement of Hassett following the 1953 England tour, the Australian captaincy was open for competition.[101] No international cricket was scheduled until 1954–55,[19] so there was a full domestic season in 1953–54 for players to stake their claims. Morris started strongly with consecutive centuries against Queensland and South Australia, but was unable to maintain his form, passing fifty only twice in his remaining eight innings.[7] He ended with 487 runs at 54.11 as New South Wales won the Sheffield Shield under Miller's leadership.[7][102] Nevertheless, the Australian selectors indicated that they were considering Morris as a captaincy option by making him captain of Morris' XI, which played Hassett's XI in a testimonial match. Morris' XI won by 121 runs.[7][102]

1954–55 Ashes

At the start of the next season, Morris was not made Australian captain despite being the incumbent vice-captain. Instead, he remained as deputy as Victoria's Ian Johnson was recalled to the team and assumed the captaincy. There was speculation that the two Queensland board members voted for Morris, the three New South Wales delegates voted for Miller, while the remainder voted Johnson.[103][104] When England returned to Australia in 1954–55, Morris made his first Test century in almost four years during the opening Test at Brisbane. After English skipper Len Hutton won the toss and controversially sent Australia in,[105][106] Morris made 153 to lay the foundation for a score of 8/601 declared and an innings victory. This included a partnership of 202 runs with Neil Harvey. The pair scored at a rate of nearly four runs per over, despite both players being repeatedly struck by the bowling of Frank Tyson, who was regarded as the fastest bowler of his era.[7][107] Those were the only centuries made by Australian batsmen for the entire series, and Morris was covered in bruises; he deliberately used his body to fend off short-pitched balls rather than risk a catch.[108]

In the Second Test in Sydney, Johnson and Miller were both unavailable due to injury; Morris led the team for the second and final time in Tests.

Australian Board of Control made the surprising move of appointing the young and inexperienced Richie Benaud as Morris' vice-captain for the match. Benaud, selected as a batsman, had scored just 195 runs at 13.92 in ten Test matches and was not a regular member of the team.[110] Benaud noted that the situation was embarrassing and that Morris had asked him not to be offended if he sought advice from veteran players Ray Lindwall and Harvey,[110] who had been Test regulars for seven years.[111] Morris won the toss and elected to bat on a green pitch,[79] in a match marred by time-wasting.[98] Although Australia took a first innings lead, they lost the low-scoring match by 38 runs after a batting collapse in the face of a Tyson pace barrage on the final day.[105][110][112][113] Aided by a powerful tailwind,[98] Tyson bowled at extreme pace and the slips cordon stood 45 m away from the wicket.[114] Morris had a poor personal performance, scores of 12 and 10, a disappointment amidst his team's defeat. He failed to pass 25 in either of the following Tests as Australia fell 3–1 behind with a hat-trick of losses and he was dropped for the Fifth Test, ending the series with 223 runs at 31.86.[7][14][19][115] Aside from the First Test century, Morris struggled throughout the entire season, passing fifty on only one other occasion and managing only 382 runs at 31.83.[7]

1954–55 West Indies tour

Morris' international farewell was the

Jamaica in his first tour match, earning a recall to the Test team.[117] He made 65 in the First Test victory in Kingston, Jamaica, before making his final Test century (111) in the drawn Second Test in Port of Spain, Trinidad. He made 44 and 38 in the Third Test win and then missed the Fourth Test with dysentery.[14][81] He scored seven in his final Test innings in the Fifth Test, which Australia won by an innings to seal the series 3–0.[19] Morris ended the Test series with 266 runs at 44.33.[14] In his final tour in Australian colours, Morris totalled 577 runs at 57.45 in seven first-class matches.[7]

Retirement

Returning to Sydney after the West Indian tour, Morris learned that his new wife Valerie had been diagnosed with breast cancer in his absence. She had concealed her illness until his return, fearing that it would distract him from his cricket.[98][118][119] With his wife's condition deteriorating over the following year despite the removal of a breast,[119] Morris retired at the age of 33,[81] as he realised that his wife's condition was terminal and that their marriage would soon be over.[119] Morris scored centuries on his first first-class appearances in four countries: England, South Africa, the West Indies and Australia, a record not equalled as of 1997.[8][81] In general, he was known for scoring centuries in his debut appearance at many grounds.[38] His eight centuries against England was second only to Bradman.[38] He was a popular player, highly lauded by Australian and English commentators for both his character, goodwill and ability.[8][118] His childhood mentor O'Reilly said that he was a "man worth knowing", while Tyson called him "one of cricket's patricians...endowed with a genteel equanimity, without seeming aloof or less than cordial and friendly".[120][121][122] The English commentator John Arlott, known for rarely praising an Australian, said that Morris "was one of the best-liked cricketers of all time – charming, philosophical and relaxed".[123]

Later life

Morris (right) with Invincibles teammate Colin McCool at a function in 1979

With his wife's death imminent, Morris organised the couple's return to Britain with financial help from Hassett. He worked as a cricket reporter for London's Daily Express during the 1956 Ashes tour while his wife was reunited with her family for the last time. She died soon after they returned to Australia at the end of the tour, aged just 33. They had been married only 18 months.[98][119][124][125]

In the wake of his personal loss, Morris, known for his sincerity and high personal values, received many offers of work and financial assistance. With a reference from English cricketer

one-day cricket, introduced after his playing days, due to his preference for tradition.[8][81]

He was inducted into the

Australian Cricket Board's Team of the Century.[130] Morris was named as an opening batsman in Bradman's selection of his greatest team in Test history. Bradman described him as the "best left-hand option to open an innings" and characterised his temperament as "ideal".[131] Following the death of Sam Loxton in December 2011, Morris became Australia's oldest living Test cricketer,[132] and after Norman Gordon's death in 2014 he became the third oldest surviving Test cricketer.[133]

Morris died on 22 August 2015 at the age of 93.[134] His former Australian teammate Neil Harvey, the last surviving Australian member of the "Invincibles" tour, paid tribute to him as "one of the best players this country has produced" and said that "you wouldn't find a nicer bloke in the world".[135]

Playing style

Morris was seen as an elegant and aggressive player, and is regarded alongside

pulling and hooking.[4] According to cricket writer Ray Robinson, "no other post-war batsman has rivalled his smashing counter-attacks on bowling swift enough to give the toughest team the tremors…A menacing bouncer colliding with Morris' bat was like a rocky fist against an iron jaw."[4] While many batsmen tended to evade deliveries aimed at the head, Morris was known for standing and hooking. In one interstate match, Miller, one of the world's leading pacemen, bowled an entire eight-ball over of bouncers. Morris hooked the five balls that he faced in the over for 4, 4, 4, 4 and 3.[67]

According to Bradman, Morris' success was due to his powerful wrists and forearms. Bradman interpreted Morris' unorthodox methods—he often defended with his bat not straight—as a sign of genius.[131] Ian Johnson believed that Morris' idiosyncratic technique was a strength, as it disrupted any plans made by the opposition.[39] Contrary to the accepted wisdom of the day, Morris had a penchant for lofting his drives, backing his ability to clear the infield.[39] Benaud rated Morris alongside Neil Harvey as having the best footwork against spin bowling among batsmen after the Second World War.[136] Morris was particularly known for his fast analysis of the length of the ball, and as a result, he quickly and decisively moved forward or back.[39] Morris' productivity declined in the latter half of his career, something he put down to the break-up of his opening pairing with Barnes. Morris' partnerships with his later partners yielded less runs, leading him to remark that "When Siddy [Barnes] went, I lost a lot of support because he'd always get ones."[137] Morris was also known for his unselfishness, often sacrificing his wicket after being involved in mix-ups while running between wickets, and he had a reputation for not attempting to finish not out to inflate his average.[77]

However, Morris was regarded as the "bunny" of English medium pace bowler

catch all tour so I'll see what can be done."[139] Morris was then caught by Warr from Berry's bowling without adding to his score.[139]

Morris took only two wickets in Tests, one of them Bedser in 1953;[8] he was rarely used as a bowler and was a reliable catcher.[6] Despite his success, he was a pessimist who claimed to be low on self-confidence, saying that he was always surprised not to be dismissed for a duck. In an interview in 2000, he said, "I wish I had the confidence of some of the players today."[140] After reaching Test cricket, Morris began smoking to relieve tension ahead of an innings.[39]

Test match performance

  Batting[141] Bowling[142]
Opposition Matches Runs Average High Score 100 / 50 Runs Wickets Average Best (Inns)
 England 24 2080 50.73 206 8/8 39 1 39.00 1/5
 India 4 209 52.25 100* 1/0 – – – –
 South Africa 10 792 46.58 157 2/3 11 1 11.00 1/11
 West Indies 8 452 32.28 111 1/1 – – – –
Overall 46 3533 46.48 206 12/12 50 2 25.00 1/5

Notes

  1. ^ Cricinfo (3 January 2017). "Arthur Morris inducted into ICC hall of fame". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 19 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Arthur Morris Australia". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Perry (2001), pp. 76–79.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Robinson, p. 212.
  5. ^ Chad Watson, "School reunion – Newcastle Boys' High." The Newcastle Herald, 17 August 2002, p 5
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Wisden 1949 – Arthur Morris". Wisden. 1949. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2007.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj "Player Oracle AR Morris". CricketArchive. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Cashman; Franks; Maxwell; Sainsbury; Stoddart; Weaver; Webster (1997). The A-Z of Australian cricketers. pp. 215–216.
  9. ^ "New South Wales v Queensland". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  10. ^ "WW2 Nominal Roll, "MORRIS, ARTHUR ROBERT"". Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
  11. ^ a b c d e Perry (2000), p. 188.
  12. ^ Derriman, p. 186.
  13. ^ a b c d e f Perry (2001), pp. 80–84.
  14. ^
    Cricinfo. Archived from the original
    on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2007.
  15. ^ Piesse, p. 148.
  16. ^ Format indicates wickets lost/runs scored
  17. ^ Piesse, p. 152.
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References

External links
Preceded by Australian Test cricket captains
1951/2 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Australian Test cricket captains
1954/5 		Succeeded by
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