Hugh Morris led Glamorgan to the Sunday League title during 1993, besides being a member of the Club’s Championship-winning team in 1997.
Indeed, in what proved to be his final match for the county in 1997, Hugh equaled Alan Jones` record for the most number of centuries in first-class cricket for the Welsh county as he scored a superb 165 against Somerset at Taunton. The following day, he was at the non-striker’s end as Steve James hit the winning runs to clinch the county title.
Hugh had been one of the most consistent and dependable batters on the county circuit during the 1980`s and 1990`s, and it was no coincidence that his career came at a time when Glamorgan enjoyed the most successful period ever in their history. He had first played in 1981 whilst still at Blundell’s School, where he set a host of batting records. After playing for, and captaining, Young England in the mid 1980’s, Hugh became Glamorgan’s youngest-ever leader in 1986. He only had a brief period in charge initially, as he stood down from the captaincy at the end of the 1989 season in order to concentrate on his batting – it was a move which reaped its rewards in 1990 as he established a new Club record of 10 centuries and 2,276 runs, and together with fellow left-hander Alan Butcher, the Glamorgan openers became the most productive pairing in Championship cricket.
During 1991 the plucky left-hander also had a brief taste of Test cricket, playing against the West Indies and Sri Lanka. In the Fifth Test at The Oval, Morris bravely fended off the hostile West Indian pace attack to make 44 in a partnership of 112 with Graham Gooch. At the end of the summer, the England selectors opted for other openers, with more inferior records, and Hugh acted as captain of the A tour to the West Indies. He fulfilled this role again in 1993/94 to South Africa, and despite Morris` consistent form at county level, he only won three Test caps.
Hugh returned to the Glamorgan captaincy in 1993 and proudly led his team to the Sunday League title, proudly lifting the AXA trophy after the Welsh county, with Viv Richards in their ranks, had defeated Kent, their nearest challengers, in a head-to-head contest in the final game of the season at Canterbury. At the end of the 1995 season, Hugh handed over the reins to Matthew Maynard, and continued to be a prolific opener with his new partner Steve James. In May 1996, he hit 202 against Yorkshire.in the opening match of the season, and Morris repeated the feat in the first game of 1997, recording a career best 233* against Warwickshire at Cardiff.
He retired at the end of the 1997 season to take up the post of Technical Coaching Director with the ECB. Hugh subsequently became Chief Executive officer of the ECB before returning to Glamorgan during August 2013 as Chief Executive and Director of Cricket.
In June 2022 Hugh Morris was awarded an MBE for services to Cricket and Charity in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, having also served as Patron of Heads Up, a head and neck cancer charity in 2002. In September 2023 Hugh announced that, after ten years in the post, he would be standing down as Glamorgan’s Chief Executive at the end of the year. Sadly, earlier in the year, Hugh had been diagnosed with bowel cancer, but after a typically brave and stoic fight against the dreadful illness, Hugh passed away on the morning of 28 December 2025 .
On hearing of Hugh’s death, Dan Cherry the man who succeeded him as Glamorgan’s CEO, led the tributes to the 62 year-old by saying “everyone here at Glamorgan County Cricket Club and further afield are devastated on hearing the awful news about Hugh. The last few years have been extremely difficult for him and his family, but we were pleased to see Hugh several times during the 2025 season here at Sophia Gardens. I know that the fact that our Men’s team won promotion to the First Division of the Rothesay County Championship, and our Women’s team began their existence by reaching the final of their 50-overs competition put a smile on Hugh’s face as he was undergoing a difficult course of treatment.”
“Hugh holds a very special place in the history of Glamorgan Cricket as well as in the hearts of the Club’s supporters for his efforts, both on and off the field. He was a man of great energy and a true gentleman, whilst his achievements will live long in the Club’s record books and I doubt if any batter in any county team will ever surpass Hugh’s seasonal record of 2,276 first-class runs. As a player and administrator, Hugh led from the front and fearlessly fended off whatever thunderbolts opposing bowlers sent in his direction. He inspired us with his actions, whether with the bat in hand or leading us in the field, besides helping to save the cash-stricken Club when foreclosure seemed a possibility and finally inspiring all he met while bravely undergoing prolonged and challenging treatment.”
“Hugh leaves us with an outstanding legacy, not least a Stadium here at Sophia Gardens of international calibre – a far cry indeed from the ground when he first played for Glamorgan as a teenager – plus a Welsh Fire franchise poised for even greater success in the cricketing landscape of the 2020s and beyond. The Club, Welsh cricket and the game as a whole has lost a great player, a tireless administrator, and a fine human being of great dignity and integrity.”
Hugh had been inducted into the Welsh Sport Hall of Fame in October 2024, whilst in April 2004 Hugh was inducted into the Glamorgan Hall of Fame (#1)
MORRIS, Hugh.
Born – Canton, Cardiff, 5 October 1963.
Died – Penarth, 28 December 2025.
Best performances for Glamorgan:
In first-class cricket – 233* v Warwickshire at Sophia Gardens, 1997. 1/6 v Oxford University at The Parks, 1987.
In List A cricket – 154* v Staffordshire at Sophia Gardens, 1989; 1/14 v Combined Universities at Sophia Gardens, 1988.
| M | I | NO | RUNS | AV | 100 | 50 | CT | ST | |
| First-class | 289 | 502 | 51 | 18520 | 41.06 | 52 | 88 | 175 | – |
| List A | 268 | 260 | 26 | 8318 | 35.52 | 13 | 47 | 90 | – |
| Balls | M | R | W | AV | 5wI | 10wM | |
| First-class | 348 | 6 | 380 | 2 | 190.00 | – | – |
| List A | 30 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 27.00 | – | – |