But what he made headlines with most recently, was anything but colourful. In the DLF Cup in Malaysia, against these very Australians, he came in to bat at No. 3, facing the second ball of the innings after a Brett Lee yorker had nailed Chris Gayle in front of the stumps. Morton then played the most inexplicable innings you could hope to see in one-day cricket, carefully blocking 30 balls - without ever getting off the mark - before the 31st put him out of his misery, and he was lbw to Nathan Bracken. He had spent almost an hour at the crease, recording the longest duck, in terms of balls faced, in the history of one-day cricket.

Now, after playing an innings of character from a position of 63 for 4 where West Indies were in serious danger of folding up meekly, Morton can genuinely hope that he's put his colourful past behind him, and be remembered purely for reasons cricketing.

The talent has always been there for all to see - hundreds against New Zealand and Zimbabwe were already in the bag - and on the day a reminder came first ball. Shane Watson pushed one in a touch full, outside the off, and Morton gave it the treatment, thumping it back down the ground for four. Still, with wickets having fallen at regular intervals, and Brian Lara batting as low as No. 6, Morton had a significant role to play, and he did the job with panache.

A punch off Brett Lee through point here, a flick through fine-leg off Andrew Symonds there, and Morton was onto his half-century - the first milestone of the day. An appreciative crowd applauded, and there was relief and joy in equal measure for Morton, who held his bat up in acknowledgment. But the job was not quite done yet. Lara's decision to bat at No. 6 meant that a couple of quick wickets at any time could lead to a situation where he could run out of partners.

Morton ensured that it never came to that - apart from one mis-hit towards cover where Ricky Ponting dropped a catch he would take nine times out of ten - playing smart cricket. Lara and Morton put on 137 for the fifth wicket, pushing the score to 200 when Lara played a tired shot and was dismissed for 71. Morton, though, continued on, and ended unbeaten on 90, taking his team to 235, a score that they defended with admirable enthusiasm and nous.

At a press conference in Ahmedabad, very early in this tournament, Lara was asked about Morton's chequered past. His answer was unequivocal, "Morton is one of the most popular members of this squad," he'd said, adding that all that happened was well in the past, and bore little relevance to the present. Those words would have gone some way in cleaning the slate, but it's actions - like those of Morton's today - that will do the job once and for all.

To play professionally at that level of competition means that a person has to overcome very big odds. I never forgot a picture I saw years ago of a skeleton--three feet from a dime.
The poor soul did not make it. A reporter's role is to cover newsworthy stuff. However, as a blogger observing a person's attempt to overcome adversity, you don't sound like someone who applauded his performance.
Morton has had some magnificient performances since then. His century against India in the Caribbean was one of his finest. Maybe--just maybe, his frustrations were compounded by a selection comittee that is buffeted by insularity.

I was extremely pleased with Morton's performance and it was a shame that he was not able to get to three figures. But he got his chance and he grabbed it with both hands. I hope this performance really signifies a fresh start by him, though one swallow does not a summer make. But, for now, at any rate, I'll take it! And with the fragility in the middle order, a slot is his for the taking, if he can build on this. Congratulations to him and to the WI. I am a West Indian and a lifelong West Indies supporter and I pray for the day when when we get back to where we belong, at the top. Consistency is the key. We can beat anyone at anytime, anywhere. We just need to believe it and act on it more.