Daniel Kyle Morrison is a New Zealand cricket commentator and former cricketer. He specialised as a pace bowler with a useful outswinger. He made his test debut for New Zealand in 1987 at the age of 21 against Australia. As a fast bowler and fabulous character on the field, Danny Morrison was an integral figure for New Zealand cricket all throughout his career. On the broadcasting side his bright personality has lead him to be very sought after and popular commentator around the world most notably for the IPL and CPL.

At the peak of his powers Danny was a fast and formidable wicket taker for his country and reached a career high 8th on the ICC Test bowling rankings. As his career continued so did his skills as a bowler, specifically in the ODI format, which saw him add an array of slower balls and cutters to his arsenal. Morrison’s playing style was an embodiment of his relentless spirit. With his fiery pace and unyielding determination, he consistently pushed the boundaries of the game. His ability to generate unpredictable swing and seam movement made him a formidable opponent for batsmen around the world. Whether it was his energetic run-up, his animated celebrations, or his fierce competitiveness, Morrison brought an unparalleled level of excitement to the cricket field.

Born in Auckland, Morrison made his First-Class debut against Central Districts in a Shell Trophy match of 1985/86. Bowling after Gary Troup and Brian Barrett, Morrison removed the first three batsmen, impressing everyone present with his pace. The first big performance came next season - by which time he had graduated to the Auckland new-ball bowler. Hadlee bowled brilliantly in that match, picking up 5/32 for Canterbury but found little support as Auckland piled up 332. Then Morrison struck back, finishing with 7/82 that included John Wright, Blair Hartland, and Rod Latham. The selectors were impressed, and Morrison made it to the World Cup 1987 squad.

It was in the 1989-90 home series against India that Morrison really made it big: his first-innings burst of 5 for 75 at Lancaster Park ensured India followed-on (and lost the Test); with 2 runs to win, Wright sent Morrison to open with Martin Snedden: Morrison thus became the third after Johnny Hayes and Bevan Congdon (and last, till date) New Zealander to open batting and bowling in the same Test. But Morrison’s series was far from over: in the rain-affected second Test at Napier he once again picked up 5/98; and in the third Test at Eden Park (where Ian Smith scored his famous 173) Morrison returned figures of 5/145, making it 3 five-wicket hauls in 3 Tests. He finished the series with 16 wickets at 27.87 - four wickets ahead of Hadlee’s tally. He was named a New Zealand Cricket Almanac Player of the Year that season.

Morrison carried the New Zealand attack on his broad shoulders in the 1990s, trying his best to fulfil the huge footsteps of Richard Hadlee: in an era when New Zealand struggled to find genuine match-winners with the ball, it was Morrison and Chris Cairns who helped keep the Kiwi flag aloft with some support from Dion Nash and Simon Doull.

Short in stature, a disadvantage more than made up for with spirit, Danny Morrison succeeded Richard Hadlee as New Zealand's main strike bowler, and with a slingy action and a good outswinger, he led the line with distinction and for the first half of the 1990s was an ever present in the side. As a genuine strike bowler he often went for a few runs, but developed into a good one-day bowler, with a well-disguised slower ball and nagging accuracy, and his ability to swing the ball made him a difficult proposition in his pomp. New Zealand won only two of his last 35 Tests, but each time Morrison was the catalyst, with 6/37 against Australia in Auckland in 1992/93, and eight wickets against Pakistan in Christchurch a year later.

As a batter he was a genuine rabbit, at one time holding the world record of 24 Test ducks. The ‘feat’ earned him the not-too-prestigious nickname of The Duckman among his teammates. His batting was so legendary that they named a duck-caller after him. It was not really fitting that his final bout of heroics for New Zealand came with the bat, scoring 14 in an unbeaten tenth-wicket stand of 106 with Nathan Astle, which saved a Test against England - he was dropped and it turned out to be his final appearance. He played throughout his career for Auckland, and also had one season in England with Lancashire but failed to adapt as well as had been expected and once played a defensive shot with his helmet.

His most notable bowling accomplishment occurred on 25 March 1994, when he took a hat-trick in a One Day International (ODI) against India. He is one of only three New Zealanders and twenty-two players worldwide to have taken an ODI hat-trick. It was the perfect revenge: chasing 241 India were going along fine at 206/5 when a scorching yorker hit the base of Kapil Dev’s off-stump; promoted to bring the asking rate down, but the yorker that crashed into the middle-stump was too good for him; he bowled Salil Ankola first ball; and the next ball made its way through Nayan Mongia’s ‘gate’. India ended up losing their last 5 wickets for 7 runs.

There was no indication during the World Cup that Morrison’s career would come to an end shortly afterwards. Just after the World Cup he single-handedly routed West Indies at Sabina Park for 184 with 5/61; surprisingly it turned out to be his penultimate Test. The penultimate ODI was special, too: after New Zealand meandered to 169/8 against Sri Lanka at Sharjah it seemed that they would ease to victory, but Morrison rose to the task: he picked up two early wickets, and when all seemed to be over at 159/7 he came back to remove Arjuna Ranatunga.

Chaminda Vaas and Sajeewa de Silva took the score to 169, ensuring the world champions would not lose. They could not, however, convert it into a win as Morrison swung one in so late that de Silva left it and lost his off-bail; and three balls later the ball took poor Muttiah Muralitharan’s edge and flew to Stephen Fleming at first slip. Morrison had managed to tie the match. Morrison played the next match against Pakistan but was not a part of the final against the same team. He never played another ODI.

On 28 January 1997, Morrison made his final appearance for his national team, and contributed 14 runs in a 106-run partnership with Nathan Astle for the tenth wicket against England, to save the match. He was dropped from the team after the match. With age Morrison’s form waned, but he was still a bowler as competent as ever. He played in his third World Cup but broke down after bowling only 2 overs against Pakistan at Gaddafi Stadium. He was sorely missed the quarterfinal against Australia where the bowlers could not defend 286 at Madras. During his international career, Morrison played for New Zealand in three Cricket World Cups - 1987, 1992 and 1996.

With 18 seasons of the IPL, former New Zealand fast bowler Danny Morrison has been one of the most recognisable and beloved voices of the tournament. Cheeky, irreverent, with a sense of humour all of his own, he has turned commentary into a full-throttle performance.