Former England opener and Glamorgan great Hugh Morris has died at the age of 62 after a long fight with cancer.
Morris played three Tests for England, all in the summer of 1991. Two of those matches came against West Indies, where he played a role in England securing a famous 2–2 drawn series, capped by a win in the final Test at The Oval. Later, he served as England’s managing director from 2007 to 2013, a highly successful period that included three straight Ashes series wins and the World T20 title in 2010.
He also led several England A tours to South Africa, West Indies and Sri Lanka. However, his strongest and longest connection remained with Glamorgan.
Born in Cardiff in 1963, Morris made his Glamorgan debut at just 17 years of age. He went on to represent the county for 17 seasons. He ended his playing career on a high in 1997 when Glamorgan won the County Championship.
In the final match of that season, Morris scored a vital first-innings century against Somerset at Taunton. It was his 52nd hundred for the club, equalling the long-standing record held jointly with Alan Jones. In the second innings, he stood at the non-striker’s end as his long-time opening partner Steve James hit the winning runs.
Earlier, Morris had captained Glamorgan to the Sunday League title in 1993, the club’s first major trophy since 1969. In 1990, he also set a club record by scoring 2,276 championship runs in a single season, including 10 centuries. Overall, he finished his first-class career with 19,785 runs at an average of 40.29.
After retirement, Morris took on senior roles at the England and Wales Cricket Board for 16 years. He played a key role in setting up the National Cricket Academy at Loughborough. In 2002, doctors diagnosed him with throat cancer, which required major surgery. After recovering, he returned to the ECB in 2007 as managing director.
Morris also served as patron of the head and neck cancer charity Heads Up. Over eight years, he helped raise around £300,000 for the cause.
In 2013, Morris returned to Glamorgan as chief executive during a major financial crisis. The club faced debts of around £17 million and risked liquidation. Under his leadership, Glamorgan recovered financially and returned to profit by the time he stepped down in December 2023. The turnaround included hosting major international matches, such as the 2015 Ashes Test, and becoming part of Welsh Fire in The Hundred.
In 2021, doctors diagnosed Morris with bowel cancer, which later spread to his liver. Despite his illness, he received an MBE in 2022 for services to cricket and charity, awarded in the Queen’s final birthday honours list.
Glamorgan chief executive Dan Cherry paid tribute on the club’s website. He said the club felt devastated by the news and praised Morris for his impact both on and off the field. Cherry added that Morris held a special place in Glamorgan’s history and remained a respected figure across the cricketing world.
Morris leaves behind his wife Debbie and twin daughters Bethan and Emily.