Herbie Morgan - a short profile by Andrew Hignell

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Player:

HE Morgan

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DateLine: 29th December 2007

 

Herbie Morgan holds a special place in the history of Glamorgan Cricket, as he was the man to score the first hundred, and later the first double hundred for the Welsh county.

 

Born in Cardiff in 1870, the forceful right-handed batsman was educated at Weston School in Weston super Mare before joining his father, and brother Fred, working with his family on their farm at Penarth.

 

He made his Glamorgan debut in 1889 as an eighteen year old as the Welsh county began their days as a Minor County. Despite some impressive innings for Penarth C.C., he was not initially an automatic selection for the Glamorgan side, but in 1890 he was drafted into the Glamorgan side as a late replacement for their match at the Arms Park against Monmouthshire. It proved to be a wise move as the nineteen year old, going in at number seven, almost singlehandedly took apart the visiting bowlers, striking four massive sixes, and fifteen fours as he rattled up 147, the first time a Glamorgan batsman had scored a century.

 

His fine blows won him a regular place in the county side for the next decade, as well as a nickname of The Penarth Slogger. This was perhaps a bit unkind given his penchant for large innings, and probably reflected the tension that existed at that time between the Cardiff and Penarth clubs, with many of the influential officials with the Cardiff club wishing that Morgan would play for them rather than Penarth.

 

They became even more envious at the Arms Park in 1901 when Herbie struck the first double-hundred for Glamorgan, and at the time the highest ever score in the Minor County Championship, as he made the small matter of 254, with one six and no less than forty fours, and once again treated the hapless Monmouthshire bowlers with complete disdain as Glamorgan also made a record total of 538.

 

By this time, Herbie had become part of the Glamorgan hierarchy, as he served on the county committee from 1898 until 1909, acting as something of a shop steward and representing the views of the players, both amateurs and professionals. Herbie retired from county cricket at the end of the 1905 season, but he continued to be a prolific run scorer in club cricket.

 

In his youth, Herbie had also been a talented rugby player and he appeared for many years for the Penarth club.

 

(December 2007)

(Article: Copyright © 2007 Dr.A.K.Hignell)