Runako Morton

Runako Morton

Personal information
Full name	Runako Shakur Morton
Born	(1978-07-22)22 July 1978 Gingerland, Nevis, Saint Kitts and Nevis
Died	4 March 2012(2012-03-04) (aged 33) Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right arm off break
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	West Indies (2002–2010)
Test debut (cap 262)	13 July 2005 v Sri Lanka
Last Test	30 May 2008 v Australia
ODI debut (cap 110)	15 February 2002 v Pakistan
Last ODI	9 February 2010 v Australia
ODI shirt no.	37
T20I debut (cap 8)	16 February 2006 v New Zealand
Last T20I	23 February 2010 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1996–2010	Leeward Islands
2010–2012	Trinidad and Tobago
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI T20I Matches 15 56 7 Runs scored 573 1,519 96 Batting average 22.03 33.75 16.00 100s/50s 0/4 2/10 0/0 Top score 70* 110* 40 Balls bowled 66 6 – Wickets 0 0 – Bowling average – – – 5 wickets in innings – – – 10 wickets in match – – – Best bowling – – – Catches/stumpings 20/– 20/– 2/–
Medal record Men's Cricket Representing  West Indies ICC Champions Trophy Runner-up 2006 India
Source: CricketArchive, 4 November 2017

Runako Shakur Morton (22 July 1978 – 4 March 2012) was a Nevisian cricketer who played for West Indies in all formats of the game. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-handed offbreak bowler.

A lively, often unpredictable character, Morton was expelled from the West Indian cricketing academy in July 2001 for bad behaviour^[1] but continued to play for the Leeward Islands in the Busta Cup.

Upon his return in February 2002, he was called into the West Indies squad as a replacement for Marlon Samuels, but he was dropped once again when he lied about his non-appearance in the ICC Champions Trophy in September 2002.

Following a stabbing incident in January 2004, he was arrested^[2] but was given a third chance in May 2005 when he was recalled for the South African Test.

He was involved in a bizarre run-out with Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the third Test against New Zealand in 2006. Morton drove the ball to mid-on where Daniel Vettori was fielding and ran to the non-striker end. Chanderpaul, at the other end, initially took a few steps down the wicket but then turned and went back to the non-striker's end. Morton believed he was out, and, furious at his captain, began to walk off. However, following a call to the third umpire, it was decided that Morton had grounded his bat at the non-striker's end just before Chanderpaul, and hence was safe and that Chanderpaul was out.^[3] Video evidence suggests that the umpire's decision was wrong: although Morton made his ground first, he then left it before the run-out was made, so he should have been the one dismissed.^[4]

As a batsman, Morton had a reputation for hitting the ball very hard, but had problems picking up singles in between boundaries.^{[citation needed]} He has the dubious record of the slowest ODI duck which lasted 31 balls in the final of the DLF Cup against Australia.^[5]

Morton died on 4 March 2012, when he lost control of the car he was driving along the Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway, hitting a utility pole at Chase Village in Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago.^[6][7][8]