Arthur Morris

SYDNEY (AP) — Arthur Morris, an opening batsman who played 46 tests for Australia and was a key member of Don Bradman's 1948 "Invincibles," has died, Cricket Australia said. He was 93.

Bradman regarded Morris, whose test career ran from 1946 to 1955, as the best left-handed batsmen he had seen.

Morris made two centuries on his first class debut for New South Wales aged 18 immediately before the outbreak of the World War II. When test cricket resumed in 1946, he made his debut against England and Brisbane and, three matches later, scored twin Ashes centuries at the Adelaide Oval.

Morris was Australia's most prolific batsman on its unbeaten "Invincibles" tour to England in 1948, scoring 696 runs at an average of 87 in a 4-0 series win.

He was at the non-striker's end when Bradman was bowled for a duck in his last test at the Oval. Morris went on to make 196 while Bradman was left with his famous career test average of 99.94.

In total, Morris made 3,533 test runs at an average of 46.46 and captained Australia in two tests — in 1951 when Lindsay Hassett was injured and in 1954 when Ian Johnson and Keith Miller were both injured.

His tally included 12 centuries and 12 half centuries, with a highest score of 206 made against England at Adelaide in 1951. He retired in 1955, aged 34. Morris' opening partnership with Sid Barnes produced a century in every 4.3 innings, an Australian record.

In 2000 Morris was named in Australia's test team of the century.

"We have sadly lost a cherished link with our past," Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards said.

"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. When Australia's best openers are discussed his name will always be one of the first mentioned."

With Morris' death, 86-year-old Neil Harvey is the last member of the Invincibles team still living and Len Maddocks, aged 89, is Australia's oldest surviving test cricketer.


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