Arthur Morris: Australian cricket legend dies aged 93

Former Australian opening batsman Arthur Morris, one of the two living members of Don Bradman’s “Invincibles” squad of 1948, passed away at the age of 93 on Saturday.

“We have sadly lost a cherished link with our past”, said CA chairman Wally Edwards.

“Arthur Morris was a great man and one of the true greats of Australian cricket who until now had been a treasured connection to an extraordinary era of the game”, Edwards said.

He is best known for his role in Don Bradman’s Invincibles side – he was Australia’s leading run scorer on the undefeated Ashes tour in 1948.

“Cricket Australia extends its deepest sympathies to the Morris family following the sad passing of Test legend Arthur, aged 93”.

“He will be greatly missed but remembered forever”, Edwards said.

Morris was Australia’s most prolific batsman during the 1948 Invincibles tour in an extremely strong batting line-up that included Bradman, Barnes, Neil Harvey and Lindsay Hassett.

He was at the non-striker’s end when Bradman was bowled for a duck in his last test at the Oval. Morris travelled home with 696 runs at 87 after striking three centuries in the campaign, none more important than his spectacular effort in Leeds.

Having played in 46 Tests, Morris aggregated 3533 runs at a fine average of 46.48 with 12 centuries and 12 half-centuries. Remarkably, he played first-class cricket in four countries and managed a century in his first match in each nation: at home in Sydney in 1940-41; against Worcestershire in 1948; against Natal in 1949; and against Jamaica in 1955. Morris went on to make 196 while Bradman was left with his famous career test average of 99.94.

His worldwide career was stalled by the outbreak of World War Two but after the resumption of cricket in 1946, he made his test debut against England in Brisbane and would score his first century in the third match of the series in Melbourne.

In 1951-52, Morris achieved yet another feat when he was appointed as the captain of Australia on a stand-in basis.

He spent numerous final years of his life around the NSW central coast with wife Judith.