Morne Morkel is a bowler for the South African national cricket team. He was born on October 6, 1984 in Vereeniging, Transvaal, South Africa. He is a right-arm medium bowler and a left-handed batsman.
Early Life
He was inspired to play cricket at school and at local competitions because he was born into a family of cricket enthusiasts.
Morne Morkel has previously played for big franchises including South Africa, Africa XI, Delhi Daredevils, Easterns, Kent, Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, St Lucia Zouks, Titans, World-XI, and Yorkshire.
He was invited to play with Easterns against the touring West Indians when he was 19 years old, alongside his pal, Albie Morkel.
International Debut
At the age of nineteen, he made his international bowling debut, and at the age of twenty-one, he made his batsman debut. In June 2007, he made his ODI debut against Asia XI, and in 2006, he made his Test debut against India.
Rise to glory
Morne and his brother Albie were named South African Cricket’s Annual Cricketers of the Year in the same season for the first time in 56 years in October 2008.
Morne played a pivotal role in South Africa’s victories, earning him recognition as one of the greatest bowlers in the world and keeping him with the squad long enough to play a 50th Test match against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
In the years that followed, Morkel, Dale Steyn, and Vernon Philander established themselves as unquestionable threats to all of their opponents.
Club career
Morkel has signed a contract with the Kent County Cricket Club. After a player on the team injured himself when Morkel was serving as a deputy, he moved to Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
Morkel’s time there, though, was cut short when he sustained an injury a few months into the tournament.
He starred for Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils, and Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League. During his fifth season with the Delhi Daredevils, he took 25 wickets in 16 matches, earning him a Purple Hat.
Records
Morkel has won Player of the Series once (in 2017) and Man of the Match twice (in 2009-2010 and 2011-2012) in tests.
He was named Player of the Series once in 2010-2011 and Man of the Match five times in ODI cricket – once in 2011, twice in 2012, once in 2014, and once in 2015.