John Morrison (cricketer)
{{Short description|New Zealand cricketer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = John Morrison
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM|size=100%}}
| image = John Francis Maclean Morrison.jpg
| country = New Zealand
| fullname = John Francis MacLean Morrison
| nickname = Mystery
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|8|27|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Wellington, New Zealand
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Slow left-arm orthodox
| role = Batsman
| international = true
| internationalspan = 1973–1983
| testdebutdate = 29 December
| testdebutyear = 1973
| testdebutagainst = Australia
| testcap = 128
| lasttestdate = 19 March
| lasttestyear = 1982
| lasttestagainst = Australia
| odidebutdate = 9 March
| odidebutyear = 1975
| odidebutagainst = England
| odicap = 20
| lastodidate = 17 March
| lastodiyear = 1983
| lastodiagainst = Australia
| club1 = Central Districts
| year1 = {{nowrap|1965/66–1966/67}}
| club2 = Wellington
| year2 = 1967/68–1983/84
| columns = 4
| column1 = Test
| matches1 = 17
| runs1 = 656
| bat avg1 = 22.62
| 100s/50s1 = 1/3
| top score1 = 117
| deliveries1 = 264
| wickets1 = 2
| bowl avg1 = 35.50
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 2/52
| catches/stumpings1 = 9/–
| column2 = ODI
| matches2 = 18
| runs2 = 252
| bat avg2 = 21.00
| 100s/50s2 = 0/1
| top score2 = 55
| deliveries2 = 283
| wickets2 = 8
| bowl avg2 = 24.87
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 3/24
| catches/stumpings2 = 6/–
| column3 = FC
| matches3 = 126
| runs3 = 6,142
| bat avg3 = 30.71
| 100s/50s3 = 7/32
| top score3 = 180*
| deliveries3 = 4,407
| wickets3 = 51
| bowl avg3 = 31.50
| fivefor3 = 1
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 5/69
| catches/stumpings3 = 133/–
| column4 = LA
| matches4 = 54
| runs4 = 1,312
| bat avg4 = 31.23
| 100s/50s4 = 0/10
| top score4 = 89
| deliveries4 = 576
| wickets4 = 12
| bowl avg4 = 34.75
| fivefor4 = 0
| tenfor4 = 0
| best bowling4 = 3/24
| catches/stumpings4 = 21/–
| date = 3 December
| year = 2016
| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/newzealand/content/player/37731.html Cricinfo
}}
John Francis Maclean Morrison {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MNZM}} (born 27 August 1947) is a former New Zealand cricketer who played 17 Test matches and 18 One Day Internationals for New Zealand. From 1998 to 2013, he was a Wellington City Councillor; his political career ended when he stood for mayor in 2013.
Cricket career
A dogged right-handed opening batsman who was born at Wellington in 1947, Morrison was also known for his occasional left-arm spin bowling, including his 'mystery' delivery.{{cite web|url=http://blogs.espncricinfo.com/tourdiaries/archives/2009/04/ |title=Mystery and the Mouth|accessdate=12 September 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822213754/http://blogs.espncricinfo.com/tourdiaries/archives/2009/04/ |archive-date=22 August 2012 |url-status=dead}} After several seasons of moderate performances in domestic cricket he hit 180 not out (which remained his highest first-class score) for Wellington against Northern Districts at Wellington in 1972–73,{{cite web |title=Wellington v Northern Districts 1972-73 |url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1972-73/NZ_LOCAL/PS/WELL_ND_PS_28-30DEC1972.html|website=Cricinfo |access-date=3 January 2022}} and was selected for the next season's tour of Australia. In the three-Test series he was the leading run-scorer on either side, with 249 at an average of 41.50. He hit 117, his only Test century, in the Second Test at Sydney.Phil Wilkins, "New Zealand in Australia, 1973-74", Wisden 1975, pp. 930–43. He never regained that Test form, although he did enough to be selected in the International Wanderers XI tour of South Africa in 1975–76.{{cite web |title=International Wanderers to South Africa: Mar/Apr 1976|url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1975-76/INT-WAND_IN_RSA/|website=Cricinfo |access-date=3 January 2022}}
His best first-class bowling came for Wellington against Auckland at Auckland in 1977–78, when he took 5 for 69 in Auckland's second innings and followed up with 106 to lead a run chase which ended with Wellington losing by four runs.{{cite web |title=Auckland v Wellington 1977-78 |url=http://static.espncricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1977-78/NZ_LOCAL/SHLCUP/AUCK_WELL_SHLCUP_03-05JAN1978.html |website=Cricinfo |access-date=3 January 2022}}
Local-body politics
Since retiring from playing, Morrison has worked as a commentator and in local politics, including serving on the Wellington City Council for the Western Ward since 1998.{{cite web| url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/page2/content/story/427716.html | title=I Wish I Was John Cleese | accessdate=12 September 2012}} As councilor, Morrison worked to bring an Aussie Rules match to Wellington.{{cite web|url=http://www.3news.co.nz/Aussie-Rules-coming-to-Wellington/tabid/415/articleID/250932/Default.aspx|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130703155151/http://www.3news.co.nz/Aussie-Rules-coming-to-Wellington/tabid/415/articleID/250932/Default.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 July 2013|title=Aussie Rules Coming to Wellington?|date=18 April 2012|publisher=3 News}} A match was held on Anzac Day 2013 between St Kilda and the Sydney Swans. Shortly afterwards Morrison and businessman John Dow brokered a deal with Australian firm CallActive to bring "300 to 500" call-centre jobs to Wellington.{{cite web |url= http://tvnz.co.nz/business-news/wellington-grabs-jobs-off-aussies-5450774 |title=Wellington grabs jobs off Aussies |date=29 May 2013 |publisher=TVNZ}}
In May 2013, Morrison announced his candidacy for the Wellington mayoralty at the 2013 local elections.{{cite news |url= http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/8706009/Morrison-throws-hat-in-ring-for-mayor |title=Morrison throws hat in ring for mayor |date=23 May 2013 |first=Kerry |last=McBride |work=The Dominion Post |accessdate=10 March 2016}} He was unsuccessful in challenging incumbent mayor Celia Wade-Brown, meaning that he was no longer on Wellington City Council, as he had contested the mayoralty only.{{cite news |title=Three more years for Wade-Brown |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-elections-2013/9276358/Three-more-years-for-Wade-Brown |accessdate=13 October 2013 |work=The Dominion Post |date=12 October 2013 |author=Katie Chapman |author2=Tessa Johnstone |author3=Kerry McBride}}
In July 2019, a new centre-right political party, the Wellington Party, announced candidates for the 2019 local government elections would include Morrison.{{cite web |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/114209468/rightwing-wellington-party-to-contest-council-elections/ |title=Centre-right 'Wellington Party' to contest council elections |date=12 Jul 2019 |publisher=Stuff}} However, he did not appear on the final list of candidates.
Other roles
After finishing as a Wellington City Councillor in 2013, Morrison took on a role as CallActive's business development manager but left before the centre went into liquidation in 2015.{{cite news |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/74534581/ |title=2000 broken hopes at failed Wellington call centre |date=29 Nov 2015 |publisher=Stuff}}
Honours and awards
In the 2009 Queen's Birthday Honours, Morrison was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to cricket and the community.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/queens-birthday-honours-list-2009 |title=Queen's Birthday honours list 2009 |date=1 June 2010 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |accessdate=16 January 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20131003181920/http://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/mayor-and-councillors/councillors/councillor-john-morrison Wellington City Council website profile]
- {{cricinfo|id=37731}}
{{New Zealand Squad 1975 Cricket World Cup}}
{{New Zealand Squad 1979 Cricket World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Morrison, John}}
Category:Cricketers at the 1975 Cricket World Cup
Category:Cricketers at the 1979 Cricket World Cup
Category:Central Districts cricketers
Category:Cricketers from Wellington City
Category:Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Category:New Zealand cricketers
Category:New Zealand One Day International cricketers
Category:New Zealand Test cricketers
Category:Wellington cricketers
Category:Wellington City Councillors
Category:New Zealand sportsperson-politicians
Category:North Island cricketers
Category:20th-century New Zealand sportsmen