John Morris (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
John Morris is a former English
cricket
er, who played for England in three Tests
and eight ODIs from 1990 to 1991. He played first-class cricket
for Derbyshire
from 1982 to 1993, for Durham
from 1994 to 1999 and for Nottinghamshire
in 2000 and 2001.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented that Morris was, "a talented and potentially destructive middle-order batsman.."
and remained a consistent first team player for twenty one years.
Morris was picked for the three-match Test series at home against India
in 1990. He took three catches in the first match and his highest score was 32 in the second innings of the third Test at the Oval
, following on.
Morris was selected for the tour to Australia in 1990–1991, and performed adequately enough in the tour matches scoring an important century against Queensland
just before the fourth Test. However, during an up-county tour game against Queensland at Carrara
, Morris chose to join former Test captain David Gower
in a practical joke
that backfired. Gower piloted a small plane over the ground while play was continuing, with Morris as co-pilot. According to some reports, Gower "buzzed" the ground. England management responded by not selecting Morris for any of the Test matches, or indeed any Test match ever again. Both players were fined £1,000, the maximum under the terms of their contract, with Peter Lush and touring captain
, Graham Gooch
, considered sending the pair home from the tour.
Morris was selected for the end-of-tour One Day International series, his best performance was a top score of 63 not out in the first match at Adelaide
, which was not enough to see England to victory. In his seven other ODIs, he only scored 20 or more runs on one occasion. Following the tour, Morris never played representative cricket for England again.
After a long career at Derbyshire, Morris moved to Durham
in 1994. He moved to Nottinghamshire
in 2000 and retired in 2001.
Morris was a stocky, right-handed middle-order batsman and made 21,539 runs in 362 first class matches, including 52 centuries at an average of 37.72. He made 8,362 runs in 350 List A matches, with 10 centuries and an average of 27.06.
Morris was later employed as Head of Cricket at Derbyshire, but was sacked in May 2011, during the club's County Championship match against Essex.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er, who played for England in three Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and eight ODIs from 1990 to 1991. He played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
from 1982 to 1993, for Durham
Durham County Cricket Club
Durham County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Durham. Its limited overs team is called the Durham Dynamos. Their kit colours are blue with yellow trim and the shirt sponsor was...
from 1994 to 1999 and for Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
in 2000 and 2001.
The cricket writer, Colin Bateman, commented that Morris was, "a talented and potentially destructive middle-order batsman.."
Career
Morris joined Derbyshire in 1980. He made his first class debut in the 1982 season against the touring PakistanisPakistani cricket team in England in 1982
The Pakistan cricket team toured England in the 1982 season to play a three-match Test series against England.England won the series 2-1 with no matches drawn.-Test series summary:* – England won by 113 runs...
and remained a consistent first team player for twenty one years.
Morris was picked for the three-match Test series at home against India
Indian cricket team in England in 1990
The Indian cricket team toured England in the 1990 season and played 14 first-class matches including three Tests. They also played in two limited overs internationals. England won the Test series 1-0 with two matches drawn...
in 1990. He took three catches in the first match and his highest score was 32 in the second innings of the third Test at the Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
, following on.
Morris was selected for the tour to Australia in 1990–1991, and performed adequately enough in the tour matches scoring an important century against Queensland
Queensland Bulls
The Queensland cricket team, nicknamed the Bulls, are the Brisbane-based Queensland representative cricket team in Australia's domestic cricket tournaments:*Sheffield Shield, 4-day matches with first-class status, since the 1926/27 season...
just before the fourth Test. However, during an up-county tour game against Queensland at Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
, Morris chose to join former Test captain David Gower
David Gower
David Ivon Gower OBE is a former English cricketer who became a commentator for Sky Sports. Although he eventually rose to the captaincy of the England cricket team during the 1980s, he is best known for being one of the most stylish left-handed batsmen of the modern era. Gower played 117 Test...
in a practical joke
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
that backfired. Gower piloted a small plane over the ground while play was continuing, with Morris as co-pilot. According to some reports, Gower "buzzed" the ground. England management responded by not selecting Morris for any of the Test matches, or indeed any Test match ever again. Both players were fined £1,000, the maximum under the terms of their contract, with Peter Lush and touring captain
Captain (cricket)
The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
, Graham Gooch
Graham Gooch
Graham Alan Gooch OBE DL is a former cricketer who captained Essex and England. He was one of the most successful international batsmen of his generation, and through a career spanning from 1973 until 2000, he became the most prolific run scorer of all time with 67,057 runs...
, considered sending the pair home from the tour.
Morris was selected for the end-of-tour One Day International series, his best performance was a top score of 63 not out in the first match at Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, which was not enough to see England to victory. In his seven other ODIs, he only scored 20 or more runs on one occasion. Following the tour, Morris never played representative cricket for England again.
After a long career at Derbyshire, Morris moved to Durham
Durham County Cricket Club
Durham County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Durham. Its limited overs team is called the Durham Dynamos. Their kit colours are blue with yellow trim and the shirt sponsor was...
in 1994. He moved to Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
in 2000 and retired in 2001.
Morris was a stocky, right-handed middle-order batsman and made 21,539 runs in 362 first class matches, including 52 centuries at an average of 37.72. He made 8,362 runs in 350 List A matches, with 10 centuries and an average of 27.06.
Morris was later employed as Head of Cricket at Derbyshire, but was sacked in May 2011, during the club's County Championship match against Essex.