Fred Morley

{{short description|English professional cricketer (1850-1884)}} {{about||the English footballer|Fred Morley (footballer)|the Australian musician|Frederick Morley (organist)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2016}} {{Use British English|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox cricketer | name = Fred Morley | image = Fred_Morley.jpg | caption = | birth_date = {{birth date|1850|12|16|df=y}} | birth_place = Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England | death_date = {{death date and age|1884|9|28|1850|12|16|df=y}} | death_place = Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, England | nickname = Speedy Fred<ref name="Randall">Randall, Derek. Thomas, Peter Wynne. ''The History of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club''. Christopher Helm Publishers. 1992.</ref><ref name="Major">Major, John Roy. ''More Than a Game: The Story of Cricket's Early Years''. Harper Collins UK. 2007.</ref><ref name="Birley">Birley, Derek. ''A Social History of English Cricket''. Aurum. 1999. pg267-270</ref> | batting = Left-handed | bowling = Left-arm fast | columns = 2 | column1 = Test | matches1 = 4 | runs1 = 6 | bat avg1 = 1.50 | 100s/50s1 = 0/0 | top score1 = 2* | deliveries1 = 972 | wickets1 = 16 | bowl avg1 = 18.50 | fivefor1 = 1 | tenfor1 = 0 | best bowling1 = 5/56 | catches/stumpings1= 4/– | column2 = First-class | matches2 = 232 | runs2 = 1,404 | bat avg2 = 5.40 | 100s/50s2 = 0/0 | top score2 = 31 | deliveries2 = 53,621 | wickets2 = 1,274 | bowl avg2 = 13.43 | fivefor2 = 119 | tenfor2 = 36 | best bowling2 = 8/26 | catches/stumpings2= 109/– | international = true | country = England | testdebutagainst = Australia | testdebutdate = 6 September | testdebutyear = 1880 | lasttestagainst = Australia | lasttestdate = 21 February | lasttestyear = 1883 | testcap = 26 | source = http://content.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/17092.html CricInfo | date = 15 August | year = 2022 }}

'''Frederick Morley''' (16 December 1850 – 28 September 1884) was a professional cricketer who was reckoned to be the fastest bowler in England during his prime, and some consider him to be the greatest fast bowler ever. 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, including five wickets in the first innings.<ref name="espncricinfo">{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/62399.html |title=Only Test: England v Australia at The Oval, Sep 6-8, 1880 |accessdate=2011-12-18 |work=espncricinfo}}</ref> 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.<ref>Cricinfo biography on Fred Morley. http://content.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/17092.html</ref> Official reports deemed the incident an "unfortunate incidence of chance". Rumours, however, soon surfaced regarding the supposed accidental nature of the collision, with some historians postulating malicious sabotage from rival cricket teams.<ref name="Randall"/><ref name ="Major"/> 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.<ref name="Ambrose">Ambrose, Don. Malcolm, Lorimer. ''Cricket Grounds of Lancashire'' The Association of Cricket Statisticians and History 1992</ref> He died of congestion and dropsy in September 1884 at the age of 33.<ref name=capro>Ambrose, Don (2004) [https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Articles/0/957.html Brief profile of Frederick Morley]. Retrieved 10 May 2023.</ref> He was interred with a cricket ball placed in his left (favoured) hand.<ref name="Ambrose"/>

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.<ref name=capro/>

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Altham, Harry Surtees. ''A History of Cricket, Volume 1 (to 1914)''. George Allen & Unwin. 1962.

==External links== {{Commons category-inline}} *{{cricinfo|id=17092}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morley, Fred}} Category:1850 births Category:1884 deaths Category:All England Eleven cricketers Category:Cricketers who have taken five wickets on Test debut Category:Deaths from edema Category:English cricketers Category:England Test cricketers Category:Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers Category:North v South cricketers Category:Nottinghamshire cricketers Category:Cricketers from Sutton-in-Ashfield Category:Players cricketers Category:Players of the North cricketers Category:United North of England Eleven cricketers Category:A. W. Ridley's XI cricketers Category:R. Daft's XI cricketers Category:19th-century English sportsmen