129 Facts About Arthur Morris

Arthur Robert Morris was an Australian cricketer who played 46 Test matches between 1946 and 1955.

An opener, Morris is regarded as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen.

Arthur Morris is best known for his key role in Don Bradman's Invincibles side, which made an undefeated tour of England in 1948.

Arthur Morris was the leading scorer in the Tests on the tour, with three centuries.

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

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Arthur Morris's career was interrupted by the Second World War, during which he served in the Australian Army and gained selection in its rugby union team.

Arthur Morris 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.

Arthur Morris's rise was such that he was made a selector during the Invincibles tour after only 18 months in the team.

Arthur Morris was overlooked for the captaincy and then briefly dropped as his cricketing prowess waned.

Arthur Morris's career ended after his first wife became terminally ill.

Later in his life, Arthur Morris served as a trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground for over twenty years.

Son of a schoolteacher who played for Waverley Cricket Club in Sydney as a fast bowler, Arthur Morris was born in 1922 in the Sydney seaside suburb of Bondi and spent his early years in the city.

Arthur Morris's family moved when he was five to Dungog, then to Newcastle before returning to Sydney in the suburb of Beverly Hills.

Arthur Morris's father encouraged him to play sports and he showed promise in a variety of ball sports, particularly cricket, rugby and tennis.

Arthur Morris attended Canterbury Boys' High School from 1936 to 1939 where he represented the school at cricket and rugby union, and was appointed school captain in Year 11.

However, Arthur Morris made only six and three and did not gain further honours.

Arthur Morris scored centuries in both innings, becoming the first player in the world to achieve the feat on debut.

Arthur Morris gave chances that were dropped early in both innings, but impressed observers with his ability to remain settled.

Arthur Morris 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.

Arthur Morris remained a Private throughout his military service and was demobbed on 18 June 1946.

Arthur Morris made 27 and 98 in his first match against Queensland, 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, Arthur Morris scored 115 and featured in a 196-run partnership with Test captain Don Bradman, who scored 106.

Arthur Morris failed in his first two Tests, managing just two and five, although Australia won both matches by an innings.

Arthur 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.

Arthur Morris was retained for the Third Test in Melbourne, but made only 21 in the first innings.

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Arthur Morris managed a century in each innings of the Fourth Test at Adelaide, making 122 and 124 not out in extremely hot weather.

Ahead of the final Test, Arthur Morris made 44 and 47 for New South Wales in a drawn match against Hammond's men.

Arthur Morris made 57 in the Fifth Test in Sydney to end the series with an aggregate of 503 runs, at an average of 71.

Arthur Morris ended his first full first-class season with 1234 runs at 68.

Arthur Morris played in the first four Tests, scoring 45 and an unbeaten 100 in the Third Test victory in Melbourne.

Arthur Morris then came in and combined with Bradman in a double century stand.

Arthur Morris lost and did not play; he was given 10 pounds as compensation.

Arthur Morris thus ended the series with 209 runs at an average of 52.

Arthur Morris scored four consecutive half-centuries for his state as they reclaimed the Sheffield Shield from Victoria.

Arthur Morris was a key part of Bradman's inner circle in planning for the tour.

Arthur Morris marked his first-class debut on English soil with a fluent 138 against Worcestershire, which was scored in only four hours and made him the first Australian centurion on tour.

Arthur Morris found batting difficult for the first few weeks as he adapted to the alien batting conditions, reaching 50 only twice in his next nine innings with a total of 223 runs at 24.

Arthur Morris was worried about edging the ball to the slips cordon and had become fidgety and shuffled across the crease.

Arthur Morris rectified this, and success followed with 184 against Sussex in the final match before the First Test.

Arthur Morris featured in century partnerships with Bradman in the first innings and Barnes in the second innings, laying the foundation of a lead of 595 runs.

Arthur Morris's innings was highlighted by his quick assessment of the pitch of the ball, followed by decisive footwork.

Arthur Morris confidently went out of his crease when the ball was of a full length and rocked onto the back foot to drive and cut if it was short.

Unable to contain Arthur Morris, Goddard packed the leg side field and bowled outside leg stump.

Arthur Morris stepped down the wicket, repeatedly lofting the ball over the off side.

Arthur Morris reached his century by lunch and was 231 by the tea interval.

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Arthur Morris followed his effort in Bristol with two half centuries, 51 and 54 not out in the drawn Third Test.

Arthur Morris' century meant that he had amassed 504 runs in just over a week of cricket.

Arthur Morris struck seven fours in two overs of what Fingleton called "indescribably bad bowling".

Arthur Morris reached the 90s just 14 minutes after the interval and hit another boundary to reach his century in just over two hours.

Arthur Morris had become the first Australian to hit 20 boundaries in his reaching his century in a Test in England.

When Bradman suffered a fibrositis attack, Arthur Morris had to shield him from the strike until it subsided.

Arthur Morris was eventually dismissed for 182, having survived multiple chances and partnered Bradman in a partnership of 301 in 217 minutes.

Arthur Morris was the batsman at the other end of the pitch in the Fifth Test at The Oval when Bradman was famously bowled by Eric Hollies for a duck in his final Test innings.

Arthur Morris went on to score 196 in an innings noted for his hooking and off-driving before finally being removed by a run out as Australia reached 389.

Arthur Morris scored more than half the runs as the rest of the team struggled against the leg spin of Hollies, who took five wickets.

Arthur Morris took four catches, including a famous dismissal of Compton, who hooked the ball.

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

In recognition of his performances, Arthur 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".

Arthur Morris's batting is true to himself, charming and good mannered but reliant and thoughtful.

Arthur Morris 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.

Arthur Morris scored 108 in only 80 balls, steering his team to victory before lunch.

Arthur Morris rounded off his Shield campaign with 110 against South Australia.

Arthur Morris scored two centuries in six tour matches before the Tests.

Arthur Morris made starts in the next two Tests, passing twenty but failing to reach a half-century on all four occasions.

Arthur Morris returned to form by making 111 and 19 in the drawn Fourth Test in Johannesburg.

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In between, Arthur Morris struck two further centuries in the tour matches, against Border and Transvaal.

On either side of the final Test, Arthur Morris added centuries against Griqualand West and Western Province, and for the entire tour had amassed eight centuries, equal to Neil Harvey.

Arthur Morris scored 74,101 and 78 not out as New South Wales won consecutive matches against Queensland.

Arthur Morris then warmed up the Tests by amassing 168 for New South Wales against England.

In contrast to his struggles in the Tests, Arthur Morris played for an Australian XI and New South Wales in two matches against England during this period, and scored 100 and 105.

However, on his 29th birthday, Arthur Morris again fell cheaply to Bedser in a tour match and he found himself eating at table 13 ahead of the next Test.

Arthur 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.

In contrast to his below par Test series, Arthur 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.

Arthur Morris experimented with his stance during the winter in response to criticism about his footwork when facing Bedser.

Arthur Morris felt that his problems had arisen because he attempted to play excessively on the leg side.

Arthur Morris opened his season by punishing the Queenslanders with a score of 253 in a Shield match and then scored 210 against Victoria.

Arthur Morris had a long tail with wicketkeeper Gil Langley and five specialist bowlers all with batting averages less than 23, and was reportedly "in a state of shock".

Arthur Morris won the toss and elected to bat on a sticky wicket.

Arthur Morris proceeded to reverse the batting order in the second innings, with bowler Ian Johnson and Langley opening the batting.

Ring made an unexpected 67 and Arthur Morris scored 45 as Australia compiled 255, but it was not enough; the West Indies reached the target with six wickets in hand.

Arthur Morris did not play a match after the new year and ended the season with 698 runs at 53.

Arthur Morris topped his state's Shield batting averages, leading from the front as New South Wales regained the title.

Arthur Morris 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, and leading his state to another title.

Arthur Morris had led his state to two Shield triumphs, but remained national vice-captain ahead of Miller.

Richie Benaud said that Arthur Morris "led the side just as well as Miller but in a less flamboyant manner".

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In spite of this, Arthur 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.

Arthur Morris 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.

Arthur Morris' 99 occurred when he was involved in a mix-up while batting with debutant Ian Craig, Australia's youngest ever Test cricketer.

Arthur Morris decided to sacrifice his wicket for Craig's in a run out.

Arthur Morris's 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.

Arthur Morris was widely praised for his unselfishness and his sacrifice for his new teammate.

Arthur Morris ended the season with 105 in a warm-up match before the tour of England and totalled 913 runs at 45.

In 1953, Arthur Morris returned to England, the setting for his three Test centuries five years earlier, for another Ashes series.

Arthur Morris was unable to maintain his form however, and did not pass 40 in the last three Tests, ending the series with 337 runs at a modest average of 33.

However, they were mistaken, and Arthur Morris could manage only 16 and 26 as the hosts' spinners cut down the tourists, while their Australian counterparts watched from the stands.

Arthur Morris' batting was regarded by commentators as being more carefree than during the Invincibles tour.

Arthur Morris took his second and final wicket in Test cricket, that of Alec Bedser, in the Third Test at Old Trafford.

Arthur Morris struggled in the first-class matches, making 1,302 runs at 38.

Arthur Morris placed third in the aggregates but only ranked sixth in the averages.

Arthur Morris made many starts, with 11 fifties, but was only able to capitalise and reached triple figures only once.

Speculation linked his difficulties on the field to his personal relationships: during the tour Arthur 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.

Arthur 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.

At the start of the next season, Arthur Morris was not made Australian captain despite being the incumbent vice-captain.

Those were the only centuries made by Australian batsmen for the entire series, and Arthur Morris was covered in bruises; he deliberately used his body to fend off short-pitched balls rather than risk a catch.

Benaud noted that the situation was embarrassing and that Arthur Morris had asked him not to be offended if he sought advice from veteran players Ray Lindwall and Harvey, who had been Test regulars for seven years.

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Arthur Morris won the toss and elected to bat on a green pitch, in a match marred by time-wasting.

Arthur Morris had a poor personal performance, scores of 12 and 10, a disappointment amidst his team's defeat.

Arthur Morris struck 157 against Jamaica in his first tour match, earning a recall to the Test team.

Arthur Morris made 65 in the First Test victory in Kingston, Jamaica, before making his final Test century in the drawn Second Test in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Arthur Morris made 44 and 38 in the Third Test win and then missed the Fourth Test with dysentery.

Arthur Morris had concealed her illness until his return, fearing that it would distract him from his cricket.

Arthur 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.

Arthur Morris was a popular player, highly lauded by Australian and English commentators for both his character, goodwill and ability.

The English commentator John Arlott, known for rarely praising an Australian, said that Arthur Morris "was one of the best-liked cricketers of all time – charming, philosophical and relaxed".

Arthur Morris 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.

Arthur Morris died soon after they returned to Australia at the end of the tour, aged just 33.

Arthur Morris then moved back to Sydney to take up a public relations job with security group Wormald International where he worked until his retirement in the late 1980s.

Arthur Morris was appointed to the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust in 1965 and served there for 22 years, eight of them as deputy chairman.

Arthur Morris continued to play tennis into his late seventies and enjoyed watching Test cricket although he refused to watch one-day cricket, introduced after his playing days, due to his preference for tradition.

Arthur Morris was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1992.

Arthur Morris was named as an opening batsman in Bradman's selection of his greatest team in Test history.

Arthur Morris was seen as an elegant and aggressive player, and is regarded alongside Clem Hill, Neil Harvey and Allan Border as one of Australia's greatest left-handed batsmen.

Arthur Morris had the ability to decide on his stroke early in the ball's flight and employed an unusual defensive technique, shuffling across the stumps to get behind the ball.

Ian Johnson believed that Arthur Morris' idiosyncratic technique was a strength, as it disrupted any plans made by the opposition.

Contrary to the accepted wisdom of the day, Arthur Morris had a penchant for lofting his drives, backing his ability to clear the infield.

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Arthur 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.

Arthur Morris' productivity declined in the latter half of his career, something he put down to the break-up of his opening pairing with Barnes.

However, Arthur Morris was regarded as the "bunny" of English medium pace bowler Alec Bedser, who dismissed him 20 times in first-class cricket, including 18 times in Test matches.

Arthur Morris took only two wickets in Tests, one of them Bedser in 1953; he was rarely used as a bowler and was a reliable catcher.