Former Australia cricketer Arthur Morris was today inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame by Steve Waugh during the tea break on the opening day of the third Test between Australia and Pakistan in Sydney.
Morris, who became the 82nd player to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, was given the honour posthumously. His wife Judith Morris received a personalised cap from Waugh, himself an ICC Cricket Hall of Famer. Cricket Australia Chairman David Peever was also present at the occasion.
Mrs Morris said: “It is a great honour to be receiving this award, which brings in a flood of memories along with it. I thank the ICC for recognizing my husband’s contribution to cricket by inducting him into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.”
Steve Waugh said: “Cricket has developed over the years and decades due to the contribution of players who entertained the crowds with their attractive game and made contests memorable due to their steely resolve. Arthur Morris was one such cricketer and that is why he is remembered even so many years after he played the game.
“I congratulate his family for this big honour and commend this gesture by the ICC to recognise his impact on the game of cricket.”
ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said in a message: “Arthur Morris is among the best left-handed openers that the game has ever seen. He was a key member of ‘Bradman’s Invincibles’ with an exceptional average, especially for an opening batsman. He was a courageous batsman whose temperament and style of play was praised liberally, even by Bradman.”
“He is a deserving recipient of this honour and I have great pleasure in congratulating his family on behalf of the ICC.”
Morris’s career at a glance:
· Scored 3,533 runs in 46 Test matches with a highest score of 206
· Slammed 12 centuries and 12 half-centuries in Test cricket
· Got centuries in three consecutive innings during his first Test series
· Was the leading scorer in the 1948 Ashes series in England which Australia won 4-0
· First batsman to score a century in each innings of debut first class match
· Aggregated 12,614 runs in 162 first class matches with 46 centuries and 46 half-centuries
· Was named in Australia’s Test team of the 20th century