‘A stellar legacy on and off the field’ – Hugh Morris obituary

Hugh Morris, 62, passed away from cricket after a distinguished career that he led both front and back.

He excelled as a first baseman for Glamorgan and England, and he was a specialist in terms of playing.

However, Morris was an extraordinary all-rounder throughout his entire career in cricket.

He oversaw one of England’s Test history’s most prosperous years as the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) chief executive.

Morris left on a high the day after England won the 2013 Ashes series for the third time in a row, taking the job of county manager.

Morris made his Glamorgan debut at the age of 17, and he was still a student at Blundell’s School in Devon, where he set several batting records. He was born in Cardiff in 1963.

He became Glamorgan’s youngest skipper in 1986 after taking the Young England cap, before resigning the position three years later to concentrate on his batting.

That was a wise choice, in my opinion. He won his first of his three England caps the following year when he reached the Glamorgan record of 10 centuries and 2 276 runs in 1990.

In 1993, Morris resumed the Glamorgan captaincy, leading England A on trips to South Africa, West Indies, and Sri Lanka.

He won the county’s first major trophy since 1969, leading the team to the Sunday League title that year.

Morris began what would be an illustrious post-playing career, beginning with the ECB as technical coaching director.

Following stints as acting and deputy chief executive, he assumed the position permanently and presided over an era when the England men’s Test team reached its height with three straight Ashes series victories.

Morris made the announcement to step down from his ECB role one day after England won the 2013 Ashes match with a score of 3-0. He displayed a sense of timing befitting his playing days and the knack of bowing out on a high.

As chief executive, Morris oversaw a significant reduction in the county’s debts after returning to Glamorgan and taking over efforts to ensure The Hundred franchise Welsh Fire lived in Sophia Gardens.

Morris was a welcoming and unassuming presence around Glamorgan’s home ground in Cardiff despite his status as a player and occasionally by assisting ticket sales on busier matchdays.

After surviving throat cancer that was discovered in 2002, he patronized Heads Up, a charity that supported research into head and neck cancer. He was given the MBE 20 years later for his contributions to cricket and charity.

After being diagnosed with bowel cancer in January of that year, Morris left his position as Glamorgan’s chief executive in September of that year to spend time with his family while receiving treatment.

Morris was unable to attend the ceremony when he was inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2024 because he was a guest of honor at a family wedding.