Eric Morris (cricketer)

Eric Wells Morris DSO (8 December 1890 – 22 May 1966) was an English first-class cricketer and an officer in both the British Army and the British Indian Army.

Eric Morris
Personal information
Full name
Eric Wells Morris
Born8 December 1890
Bandra, Bombay Presidency,
British India
Died22 May 1966(1966-05-22) (aged 75)
Kensington, London, England
BattingUnknown
BowlingUnknown
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1928/29Europeans
1936/37Bihar
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 2
Runs scored 46
Batting average 11.50
100s/50s –/–
Top score 20
Balls bowled 150
Wickets 1
Bowling average 75.00
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling 1/75
Catches/stumpings 1/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 18 November 2023

The son of the Irishman Dermot Morris,[1] he was born in British India at Bandara in December 1890. He was educated at Felsted School, before proceeding to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.[2] He was commissioned into the Connaught Rangers as a second lieutenant in March 1911.[3] He served in the First World War, being promoted to lieutenant a month and a half into the conflict,[4] with promotion to captain following in October 1915.[5] Following the war, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the 1919 Birthday Honours, at which point he was seconded to the Cheshire Regiment.[6] Morris later joined the British Indian Army in March 1928.[7]

A year later, in March 1929, he made his debut in first-class cricket for the Europeans cricket team against the Muslims at Lahore in the 1928–29 Lahore Tournament.[8] In September 1929, he was confirmed in the rank of captain in the British Indian Army.[9] He vacated his appointment in India as an instructor at the Indian Army Service Corps (IASC) Training Establishment in June 1932, at which point he held the rank of major.[10] He was reappointed an instructor at IASC Training Establishment at Chaklala in September 1933,[11] with promotion to lieutenant colonel following in September 1935.[12] In December 1936, he made a second appearance in first-class cricket, this time for Bihar against Bengal at Calcutta in the 1936–37 Ranji Trophy.[8] In his two first-class matches, he scored 46 runs with a highest score of 20, in addition to taking a single wicket.[13] After a number of appointments as an instructor, Morris retired from active service in August 1939.[14] He later died in England at Kensington in May 1966.

References edit

  1. ^ Great Britain and the East. Vol. 14. Great Britain and the East, Limited. 1918. p. 908.
  2. ^ Debrett's Illustrated Baronetage, with the Knightage, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. London: Dean & Son. 1931. p. 1923.
  3. ^ "No. 28471". The London Gazette. 3 March 1911. p. 1637.
  4. ^ "No. 28894". The London Gazette. 8 September 1914. p. 7094.
  5. ^ "No. 29441". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 January 1916. p. 721.
  6. ^ "No. 31370". The London Gazette. 30 May 1919. p. 6819.
  7. ^ The Indian Army List. Calcutta: Government of India Central Publication Branch. 1932. p. 170.
  8. ^ a b "First-Class Matches played by Eric Morris". CricketArchive. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  9. ^ "No. 33536". The London Gazette. 20 September 1929. p. 6036.
  10. ^ "No. 33862". The London Gazette. 9 September 1932. p. 5767.
  11. ^ "No. 34014". The London Gazette. 12 January 1934. p. 318.
  12. ^ "No. 34215". The London Gazette. 1 November 1935. p. 6905.
  13. ^ "Player profile: Eric Morris". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  14. ^ "No. 34662". The London Gazette. 1 September 1939. p. 5989.

External links edit