fall at the National Sports Club, it was suggested yesterday.

Lawyer Mr. Trevor Moniz, for the club, told Supreme Court that Mr. Morris had drunk about nine Miller Lite beers between noon and 6 p.m. the day of his death.

On June 4, 1987, Mr. Morris fell from a 16-foot wall at the club, where he had gone to watch his stepson Brian take part in cricket practice.

He landed on his head and after more than 70 hours in the hospital's intensive care unit he was declared brain dead.

The Supreme Court action, brought by Mr. Morris' widow Carol, is to decide if the club was liable for the tragedy.

The court has heard it was then usual for spectators to sit on the balcony wall of the club, but there had not been an accident before.

Mr. Morris was seen to have one or two beers at the club, and it is believed he slipped from the wall after losing his grip on a bottle and trying to catch it.

Mr. Moniz, submitting the defence case, said the actions of Mr. Morris may have contributed to his accident.

Mr. Morris was a member of the club and a frequent visitor, said Mr. Moniz, to the extent that it was his "second home''. He was familiar with the premises, and voluntarily took the risk of sitting on the wall rather than fetch a chair.

Actions that might have contributed to the accident were: sitting astride a narrow wall, failing to take proper care, holding a bottle of beer, trying to catch it, and "drinking to excess''.

"If the deceased had had sufficient alcohol to impair his judgment and/or his reflexes, it was not the fault of the club,'' said Mr. Moniz.

Earlier, hospital physician Dr. James King told the court there was no evidence of alcohol damage to Mr. Morris' internal organs.

He was not able to say what effect nine beers might have had on Mr. Morris.

But he would have expected a fall from such a height to have been fatal if the person landed on his head.

The case continues with a submission on behalf of Mrs. Morris.