TRIBUTES have been paid to one of the finest bowlers ever to grace a Fenland cricket field after Trevor Morley died aged 80.
Trevor, who starred for Wisbech Town and then March Town in the 1970s, took more than 3,000 wickets and made a host of minor counties appearances in his distinguished playing career.
The father-of-two died on Thursday, at the bungalow he shared with his wife Julia, in Murrow.
Trevor was born in Hitchin and played for Letchworth before going on to represent Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. In 2000, he was named in Bedfordshire’s all-time XI.
The opening bowler moved to Murrow - and Wisbech Town Cricket Club - in the 1970s.
He struck up a formidable strike partnership with Derek Wing, Wisbech’s current club president, before switching to rivals March later that decade.
During his time at The Avenue, Trevor played a key part in a record-breaking March side which won 25 games in a single season. He also became one of a select few club members to take 100 wickets in a season.
He was a member of March’s committee and he also became groundsman for several years.
Trevor, a youth worker, coached hundreds of young cricketers in Cambridgeshire and he was also a minor counties umpire. He coached at King’s School, Ely, for almost 20 years before retiring in 2002.
His son, David Morley, said: “Dad was Mr Cricket.
“He was very talented. He still holds the record for the number of wickets (156) taken in a season at Letchworth.
“He would take holiday from work to play county games and he would play on Saturdays and Sundays. He loved the game.
“I think he took something like 3,000 wickets in his whole career. He could bat as well but he always insisted on going number 11 - just because he wanted to bowl all his overs!
“I’ve been getting e-mails from people who he coached to say what an impact he had. That’s really touching.”
Pat Ringham, a life member at March Town Cricket Club, played in the same side as Trevor in the 1970s.
He said: “In my opinion he was the finest bowler of his type to have played at March during all my years at the club.
“There was no-one better to be bowling at the other end if you wanted to take wickets yourself.”
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