Runako Shakur Morton (22 July 1978 – 4 March 2012) was a Nevisian cricketer who played for West Indies in all formats of the game. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-handed offbreak bowler.
Domestic career
A lively, often unpredictable character, Morton was expelled from the West Indian cricketing academy in July 2001 for bad behaviour[1] but continued to play for the Leeward Islands in the Busta Cup.
International career
Upon his return in February 2002, he was called into the West Indies squad as a replacement for Marlon Samuels, but he was dropped once again when he lied about his non-appearance in the ICC Champions Trophy in September 2002.
Following a stabbing incident in January 2004, he was arrested[2] but was given a third chance in May 2005 when he was recalled for the South African Test.
He was involved in a bizarre run-out with Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the third Test against New Zealand in 2006. Morton drove the ball to mid-on where Daniel Vettori was fielding and ran to the non-striker end. Chanderpaul, at the other end, initially took a few steps down the wicket but then turned and went back to the non-striker's end. Morton believed he was out, and, furious at his captain, began to walk off. However, following a call to the third umpire, it was decided that Morton had grounded his bat at the non-striker's end just before Chanderpaul, and hence was safe and that Chanderpaul was out.[3] Video evidence suggests that the umpire's decision was wrong: although Morton made his ground first, he then left it before the run-out was made, so he should have been the one dismissed.[4]
As a batsman, Morton had a reputation for hitting the ball very hard, but had problems picking up singles in between boundaries.[citation needed] He has the dubious record of the slowest ODI duck which lasted 31 balls in the final of the DLF Cup against Australia.[5]
Morton died on 4 March 2012, when he lost control of the car he was driving along the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway, hitting a utility pole at Chase Village in Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago.[6][7][8]
References
- ^ Morton Expelled From Academy, Cricinfo, Retrieved 20 January 2008
- ^ Morton arrested after stabbing incident, Cricinfo, Retrieved 20 January 2008
- ^ 3rd test, West Indies tour of New Zealand, 2005/06, Cricinfo
- ^ Video on YouTube
- ^ Morton makes the record books ... for the wrong reason, Cricinfo, Retrieved 20 January 2008
- ^ "NDTV - Windies batsman Runako Morton dies in a road accident". Archived from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
- ^ BBC Sport - Runako Morton, former West Indies batsman, dies in car crash
- ^ "Runako Morton killed in road accident". ESPNcricinfo. 5 March 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2012.