Morton's redemption song

Life's come a full circle for Runako Morton and put him down in a good place. It was with the Champions Trophy, in Sri Lanka, that his name became known internationally, and now the same tournament has given a platform to close some chapters and open fresh ones. His unbeaten innings of 90 inspired West Indies to a famous victory against the Australians, who fell short of 235 by only 11 runs in a thriller. But what Morton did, was give a large following of fans something to remember him by, besides the events far and near, neither of which are particularly flattering. It's said that the incomparable Lawrence Rowe had so much time to play the ball that he whistled to himself as he cover-drove; if Morton had a song on his lips on the day, it would have been that Bob Marley anthem, Redemption Song.

The first thing Morton will be keen to erase is the memory of what happened in the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka in 2002. Although selected to play in the squad, he excused himself, and left, after telling the team management that his grandmother had died. It was subsequently learned that one of his grandmothers had died sixteen years earlier, and another was very much alive. Morton, who was also expelled from the St. Georges Cricket Academy in Grenada in 2001 for reasons of indiscipline, served a one year ban from participating in activities that took place under the auspices of the West Indies Cricket Board. Having sat out, he returned, only to be involved in a stabbing incident less than a month after the end of his ban, about which little is known. It all just seemed a bit too colourful for anyone's good.

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.