| Whiz Morris | |
| Fullname: | Harold Marsh Morris |
| Nickname: | Whiz |
| Birth Date: | 16 April 1898 |
| Birth Place: | Wanstead, Essex, England |
| Death Place: | Brighton, Sussex, England |
| Batting: | Right-handed |
| Club1: | Essex |
| Year1: | 1919–1932 |
| Columns: | 1 |
| Column1: | FC |
| Matches1: | 246 |
| Runs1: | 7086 |
| Bat Avg1: | 19.52 |
| 100S/50S1: | 3/34 |
| Top Score1: | 166 |
| Deliveries1: | 1439 |
| Wickets1: | 16 |
| Bowl Avg1: | 55.43 |
| Fivefor1: | 0 |
| Tenfor1: | 0 |
| Best Bowling1: | 2/16 |
| Catches/Stumpings1: | 80/0 |
| Date: | 21 July |
| Year: | 2013 |
| Source: | http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/17097.html Cricinfo |
Harold Marsh "Whiz" Morris (16 April 1898 - 18 November 1984) was an English amateur cricketer. He played for Essex between 1919 and 1932 and was captain of the team between 1929 and 1932.[1]
Morris was educated at Repton School, where he captained the First XI, and Cambridge University, where he was unable to find a place in the cricket team.[2] He was a regular member of the Essex side in the 1920s, batting usefully and fielding superbly.[2] In 1927 he scored 143 against Somerset[3] and, a couple of weeks later, 166 against Hampshire, when he added 233 in 140 minutes for the fourth wicket with Jack Russell.[2]
Although Morris played only three matches in 1928, the Essex committee chose him to captain the team for the 1929 season, replacing Johnny Douglas. The 46-year-old Douglas opposed the appointment on the grounds that Morris was unqualified both as a cricketer and a captain, but Morris captained the team with reasonable success for the next three seasons.[2] In 1930 the county finished sixth in the County Championship, owing in part to the "infectious enthusiasm" of Morris's captaincy.[4] Although he was appointed captain for the 1932 season he was unavailable for all but two matches, and resigned the captaincy. His Wisden obituary described him as a batsman as "a good stylist, who drove and cut well, [who] looked at his best capable of more than he in fact accomplished".[2]