Fred Morley
Encyclopedia
Frederick Morley (16 December 1850 in Sutton-in-Ashfield
, Nottinghamshire
, England
– 28 September 1884 in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England) was a professional cricket
er who was reckoned to be the fastest bowler in England
during his prime. During a 13 year career for Nottinghamshire
and England he took 1,274 wickets at an average of 13.73.
In 1879/80 Morley toured North America with Richard Daft
, and in 1880 he was selected to play in the match that later became known as the first Test match
to take place in England, taking 8 for 146. He toured Australia
in 1882/3 as part of the Honourable Ivo Bligh's side that aimed to recover the Ashes
. However, he was hampered by an injury to his rib that he picked up when the team's ship was involved in a collision in the harbour at Colombo. Official reports deemed the incident an "unfortunate incidence of chance". Rumors, however, soon surfaced regarding the supposed accidental nature of the collision, with some historians postulating malicious sabotage from rival cricket teams.
After sustaining injuries, his subsequent bowling performances were poor. He never recovered from his injuries. Alienated from his family members due to his deteriorating health and subsequent inability to bring in income, Morley lived in seclusion during the remainder of his life. He died of congestion
and dropsy
in September 1884 at the age of 33. He was interred with a cricket ball
placed in his left (favored) hand.
He was married to Hannah, a seamstress, and they had at least three children, Sarah, Harold and Allen. His name was registered at birth as Frederic Morley.
Sutton-in-Ashfield
Sutton-in-Ashfield is a market town in the Ashfield district of Nottinghamshire, England, with a population of around 43,000. It is situated four miles west of Mansfield, close to the Derbyshire border.-Geography:...
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
– 28 September 1884 in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England) was a professional cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who was reckoned to be the fastest bowler in England
English cricket team
The England and Wales cricket team is a cricket team which represents England and Wales. Until 1992 it also represented Scotland. Since 1 January 1997 it has been governed by the England and Wales Cricket Board , having been previously governed by Marylebone Cricket Club from 1903 until the end...
during his prime. During a 13 year career for Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
and England he took 1,274 wickets at an average of 13.73.
In 1879/80 Morley toured North America with Richard Daft
Richard Daft
Richard Daft was an English cricketer. He was one of the best batsmen of his day, the peak of his first-class career being the 1860s and early 1870s...
, and in 1880 he was selected to play in the match that later became known as the first Test match
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
to take place in England, taking 8 for 146. He toured Australia
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
in 1882/3 as part of the Honourable Ivo Bligh's side that aimed to recover the Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
. However, he was hampered by an injury to his rib that he picked up when the team's ship was involved in a collision in the harbour at Colombo. Official reports deemed the incident an "unfortunate incidence of chance". Rumors, however, soon surfaced regarding the supposed accidental nature of the collision, with some historians postulating malicious sabotage from rival cricket teams.
After sustaining injuries, his subsequent bowling performances were poor. He never recovered from his injuries. Alienated from his family members due to his deteriorating health and subsequent inability to bring in income, Morley lived in seclusion during the remainder of his life. He died of congestion
Congestion
Congestion generally means excessive crowding.Congestion may refer to:* congestion in heart failure, a term to describe low cardiac output seen in heart failure.* Nasal congestion, the blockage of nasal passages due to swollen membranes...
and dropsy
Edema
Edema or oedema ; both words from the Greek , oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body that produces swelling...
in September 1884 at the age of 33. He was interred with a cricket ball
Cricket ball
A cricket ball is a hard, solid leather ball used to play cricket. Constructed of cork and leather, a cricket ball is heavily regulated by cricket law at first class level...
placed in his left (favored) hand.
He was married to Hannah, a seamstress, and they had at least three children, Sarah, Harold and Allen. His name was registered at birth as Frederic Morley.
External Sources
- Cricinfo article on Fred Morley
- Brief profile of Frederick Morley by Don Ambrose
- CricketArchive page on Fred Morley
Further Reading
- Altham, Harry Surtees. A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914). George Allen & Unwin. 1962.