Bruce Morrison (cricketer)

Infobox Historic Cricketer


nationality = New Zealand
country = New Zealand
country abbrev = NZ
name = Bruce Morrison
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Left-hand bat
bowling style = Right-arm medium
tests = 1
test runs = 10
test bat avg = 5.00
test 100s/50s = 0/0
test top score = 10
test balls = 186
test wickets = 2
test bowl avg = 64.50
test 5s = 0
test 10s = 0
test best bowling = 2/129
test catches/stumpings = 1/-
FCs = 47
FC runs = 374
FC bat avg = 9.34
FC 100s/50s = 0/0
FC top score = 37
FC balls = 11110
FC wickets = 167
FC bowl avg = 24.16
FC 5s = 7
FC 10s = 2
FC best bowling = 7/42
FC catches/stumpings = 30/-
debut date = 1 March
debut year = 1963
last date = 1 March
last year = 1963
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/37728.html Cricinfo

Bruce Donald Morrison (born December 17, 1933, Lower Hutt) is a former New Zealand cricketer.

Career highlights

Morrison, who bowled right arm medium pace but was a left handed tail-end batsman [ [http://content-www.cricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/37728.html Cricinfo - Players and Officials - Bruce Morrison ] ] first appeared for his local side, Hutt Valley, in an away game at Nelson in the Hawke Cup (25-27 December 1951) [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/123/123529.html Cricket Archive ] ] .

Aged 20, he made his first class debut for Wellington v Otago at the Basin Reserve on 7 January 1954 and made an immediate impact, taking 4-70 in Otago’s first innings and then a splendid 7-42 in their second, although Otago won a thriller by 3 runs [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/20/20950.html Cricket Archive ] ] . In his next game he repeated his fine form, taking 5-60 v Auckland at Eden Park and scoring 33 not out with the bat [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/20/20958.html Cricket Archive ] ] . He finished the season with 22 wickets at an average of only 16.68 [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1200/f_Bowling_by_Season.html Cricket Archive ] ] .

The following season Morrison bowled consistently, but failed to make the headlines that he had done in his debut season. The highlight was undoubtedly Wellington's tour match against the MCC, when he picked up the prize wickets of England legends Trevor Bailey, Bill Edrich and Colin Cowdrey at the Basin Reserve [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/21/21452.html Cricket Archive ] ] . Ultimately, it was a disappointing season: Morrison finished well down the bowling averages, with just 16 wickets at nearly 30 apiece [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Seasons/Seasonal_Averages/NZ/1954-55_f_Bowling_by_Average.html Cricket Archive ] ] .

1955-56 was a better season overall, with 7-68 v Central Districts being the stand out performance [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/21/21838.html Cricket Archive ] ] , and a final haul of 24 wickets for the season. Subsequently, however, while 1956-57 was good (15 wickets at just 20.93 apiece) it wasn’t until 1960-61 (11 wickets at 17.81), 1961-62 (16 wickets at 18.93) and especially 1962-63 (27 wickets at 20.55, including 5-41 against Otago at Carisbrook, Dunedin [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/25/25936.html Cricket Archive ] ] ) that he recaptured his early-career form.

Capped for New Zealand

Morrison’s wicket-taking in 1962-63 led to his being called up to make his one and only test appearance as the 96th person capped by New Zealand [ [http://users.skynet.be/hermandw/cricket/testplnz.html New Zealand test players ] ] in the 2nd test v the MCC at the Basin Reserve on 1-4 March 1963. England only batted once, winning by an innings, and Morrison was expensive, with his two wickets (Ted Dexter and Peter Parfitt, both in the same over) coming at a cost of 129 runs [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/25/25968.html Cricket Archive ] ] . He was not selected for the 3rd test.

Thereafter, Morrison played two more first class seasons for Wellington, with his final match being for Wellington v the Pakistanis in the tour fixture (4-6 January 1965). He returned to play for Hutt Valley until he retired after the game against Northland in December 1967 [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/123/123605.html Cricket Archive ] ] .

His first class career total was 167 wickets at an average of 24.16 [ [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/1/1200/1200.html Cricket Archive ] ] .

References