(u'Brothers Joel and Jonathon Morris shape as key players against Belvoir this afternoon. Picture: TARA GOONAN',)
BROTHERS Joel and Jonathon Morris have very little in common.
But the pair are quickly becoming the backbone to Albury.
At the top of the order, the pair are responsible for getting Albury off to a flyer each week and whether they star or fail can quite often determine if the club is going to win or lose.
They might be brothers, but that’s about where the similarities end.
Joel’s 27, bats left-handed but bowls with his right arm.
Jonathon, 23, is a right-hander.
But, if that’s not confusing enough, Jonathon decides to complete the uncanny set of abilities by bowling with his left-arm.
“It’s a bit messed up,” Joel said with a laugh.
But it also has its advantages.
“We’re not afraid to tell each other what we’re doing wrong,” Joel said.
“We’ve played a fair bit together.
“If one of us plays a stupid shot you certainly don’t hesitate to tell them to pull their head in.”
Joel has scored 319 runs for the season and rarely fails to get off the mark.
He’s scored 198 in the past three games.
Jonathon, meanwhile, opened for the first time since October last weekend and made his highest score for the year.
They put on a crucial 91-run stand at the top of the order against North Albury last Saturday, a partnership that gave Albury some sort of chance of stealing an unlikely upset against the Hoppers.
The team ultimately failed in that chase, however, the pair are now full of confidence ahead of today’s do-or-die clash with Belvoir.
“It was good to make some runs, for a change,” Jonathon said.
“It was just disappointing we couldn’t win.
“But we get another chance this week.”
Joel agreed.
“If everyone can do their bit on the day, we’re pretty confident.
“We’ve been close in plenty of games this year but we just haven’t had everyone gel at the same time.”
The Morris production line is far from finished, with the youngest of four boys, Nick, showing glimpses this season.
The 18-year-old scored 76 against Tallangatta in round 3, but left to travel overseas at the start of this year.
