Ross Morgan

Ross Winston Morgan (born 12 February 1941) is a former New Zealand cricketer who played 20 Tests for New Zealand between 1965 and 1972 as a middle-order batsman and off-spinner.

Morgan was only 16 when he made his first-class debut for Auckland in 1957–58.

Good all-round form in the Plunket Shield in 1964–65, including 6 for 40 against Central Districts (which remained the best figures of his career), and 112 not out against Wellington a few days later, led to his selection in the Test team.

Coming into the Test team when John Sparling withdrew from the selected side, Morgan scored 66 on his debut against Pakistan in the Second Test in Auckland in 1964–65, which was the top score on either side in the match.

In the next match of the series in Christchurch he scored 97, which was once again New Zealand's top score for the match.

He remained in the Test side for the three series in India, Pakistan and England that followed in the next few months, playing some valuable innings and taking occasional wickets with his off-spin, accumulating 663 runs at an average of 30.13 in his first 12 Tests.

Thereafter, however, his Test form deserted him and his final eight Tests over the next seven years yielded only 71 runs.

His highest first-class score was 166 for Auckland against Canterbury at Auckland in 1968–69, out of a total of 314 for 8 declared.

He played senior club cricket for Parnell in Auckland for more than 30 years, establishing club records which have yet to be broken: most runs (16,028) and most wickets (692).

He played his last three Tests in New Zealand's tour of the West Indies in 1972, as a replacement for Richard Collinge, who had to return to New Zealand due to the death of his infant child.

In these three Tests Morgan made only eight runs and took one wicket.

He continued playing for Auckland until 1976–77.