Money-spinner Morris ready for the IPL stage

Chris Morris leapt from local to world cricket attention yesterday when the Chennai Super Kings made him a millionaire in return for his services in this year's Indian Premier League.

Morris, a respected performer for the Lions in domestic cricket with just one T20 cap for SA, was bought for more than R5.3-million in the IPL player auction in Chennai.

"I never thought I would ever see so much money, and I've got no clue what I'm going to spend it on," Morris, 25, said yesterday.

Perhaps a new car? Perhaps not.

"I've been driving my VW Golf 6 since high school and I love it - I call it the 'Blue Ninja'. I bought it when I was first contracted by the Lions."

Morris kept track of the auction via the internet after the Lions' Sunfoil Series match against the Knights in Kimberley was abandoned because of a hailstorm. He watched with interest as bids for his services kept rising.

"My agent was adamant that I should be in the auction, because you never know," Morris said.

"So I put together a video of my T20 performances and sent it to India before the Champions League; it probably helped that I had one or two good games in the tournament."

Morris took six wickets at an average of 26.66 in the CLT20, with an economy rate of 7.61.

In his 25 T20 games, he has taken 35 wickets at an average of 16.68, an economy rate of 6.85 and a strike-rate of 14.6.

Morris will be reunited at CSK with Dirk Nannes - who played for the Lions in the CLT20 - Faf du Plessis and Stephen Fleming, the IPL side's coach.

"It was very good to play with Dirk and it will be good to meet up with him again," Morris said. "Faf is a mate of mine and Stephen Fleming was my hero when I was growing up."

Morris was the most expensive South African sold yesterday, followed by Johan Botha, bought by the Delhi Daredevils for more than R3.8-million.

Ryan McLaren fetched R425 000 from the Kolkata Knight Riders while the Sunrisers Hyderabad, a new franchise, paid R170 000 for Quinton de Kock.

The biggest price paid for one player was the $1-million the Mumbai Indians paid for Glenn Maxwell, an allrounder who has played nine matches in both the one-day and T20 formats for Australia.