Australian great Alan Davidson passes away at the age of 92 (update: post 10)

[Robert]

Here he is skittling England. Interesting to see the two leg slips.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

One of the greatest cricketers ever and amongst the 6 best left-handed cricketerst ever.Statistically best left arm pace bowler ever in terms of average of 20.58.Best let-handed allrounder after Sobers.

 

[Robert]

I am amazed that he played just 44 tests, I get that he was kept out of the side by Lindwall, Miller and Johnston but surely this is a killer bottom six:

Miller
Benaud
Davidson
Grout (w)
Lindwall
Johnston

That’s world class stuff, like having Lillee, McGrath, Gillespie and Warne in the same team.

 

[Junaids]

He basically is in a dead heat with Wasim Akram as the GOAT left-arm quick.

Even their batting was identical in quality.

 

[therealAB]

Best bowling average for any bowlers with a decent no. of wickets since WW2. Gun

 

[andy0204]

Second greatest left arm fast bowler.

 

[Robert]

He basically is in a dead heat with Wasim Akram as the GOAT left-arm quick.

Even their batting was identical in quality.

Davo was also a close catcher in the Stokes class, of course.

 

[therealAB]

Davo was also a close catcher in the Stokes class, of course.

he also didn't use bottle tops WAG

 

[Ab Fan]

2nd greatest left arm fast bowler of all-time and among the top 5 Australian fast bowlers, only behind Glenn McGrath, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller.

 

[Robert]

Alan Davidson RIP

Passed away at the age of 92.

Farewell to an Australian ATG. Successor to Lindwall & Miller. Fast with the new ball, big orthodox swinger. Minuscule bowling average in a batter’s decade. Super accurate. Capable #8 batter with two test centuries. Superlative catcher.

From what I read, a really good guy too.

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/alan-davidson-dies-australia-allrounder-tied-test-west-indies/2021-10-30

Australian cricket is mourning the loss of legendary allrounder Alan Davidson, who has passed away at the age of 92.

Davidson, a left-arm fast bowler and dangerous low-order batter, played 44 Tests for Australia from his debut in 1953.

His passing comes less than 24 hours after the death of former Test off-spinner Ashley Mallett, who died on Friday at the age of 76.

Davidson was easily Australia’s most potent left-arm fast bowler during a career that burned slowly before exploding on the international stage.

He was a treasured allrounder in the late 1950s and early 1960s, someone who could swing the ball sharply, hit it hard, and catch it so well he was nicknamed 'The Claw'.

In 44 Tests, he knocked over 186 batsmen at a phenomenal 20.53, placing him among the greats of the game. The stunning average has only been bettered by 14 bowlers – of those who have delivered a minimum of 2000 balls in Tests – and is superior to the marks achieved by Glenn McGrath, Malcolm Marshall, Curtly Ambrose, Richard Hadlee and Wasim Akram.

The most memorable performance came when Davidson starred in the Tied Test against West Indies at the Gabba in 1960-61.

He entered the match with a broken finger and finished it with the honour of becoming the first to take 10 wickets and score 100 runs in a Test. With the ball he grabbed 5-135 and 6-87; with the bat he posted 44 and 80, the second-innings contribution keeping the locals in the game.

Born in 1929, Davidson grew up near Gosford and dug himself a cricket pitch. He learned to hit the stumps quickly because if he missed, he had to run down the hill to collect the ball.

After progressing quickly into the New South Wales team, he displayed his all-round talents by registering a century and 10 wickets in a tour match in New Zealand in 1949-50.

However, he had to wait until the 1953 trip to England for his debut and while he was back in the United Kingdom three years later, it was not until the 1957-58 visit to South Africa that his full powers began to show. Twenty-five wickets at an average of 17 proved both to himself and his team that he could be a leader of the attack.

Davidson’s aching body was both a concern and an object of mirth, such were the number of injuries he complained of. Captain Richie Benaud was a master psychologist, constantly pushing his strike weapon through more successful overs.

England were next to suffer in 1958-59 and in the MCG Test, Davidson opened with three wickets for no runs on the way to 6-64 and a campaign of 24 victims. Australia's difficult visit to the subcontinent followed and Davidson's career peaked with 12 wickets against India in Kanpur, but it did not result in victory.

The 1960-61 West Indies series was his most successful, with 33 wickets, and he signed off two summers later with a wicket from his final Test ball.

Like his friend Neil Harvey, Davidson became a Test selector, and also served as the chairman of Cricket New South Wales.

Davidson is a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and the ICC's Hall of Fame and he was also made a member of the Order of the British Empire in 1964 and awarded an Order of Australia in 1987.

"Alan Davidson's passing is a sad moment for Australian cricket and for cricket across the world," said Cricket Australia chair Richard Freudenstein.

"Alan was a colossal figure in our game, not only as one of the finest players to have represented Australia and NSW, but for the positive influence he exerted across the game as an administrator, mentor and benefactor.

"The tremendous skill and the boundless spirit with which Alan embraced cricket and life embodied everything that is great about the game. He will remain a shining example for every player who follows in his footsteps.

"On behalf of Cricket Australia, and all those who benefitted from Alan's vast contribution across Australian cricket, I offer my deepest condolences to the Davidson family as well Alan's many close friends, colleagues and former teammates."

Alan Davidson

Tests

M: 44 | Wkts: 186 | Ave: 20.53 | 5wi: 14 | 10wm: 2 | BBI: 7-93 | Runs: 1328 | Ave: 24.59 | 50s: 5 | 100s: 0 | HS: 80

First-class

M: 193 | Wkts: 672 | Ave: 20.90 | 5wi: 33 | 10wm: 2 | BBI: 7-31 | Runs: 6804 | Ave: 32.86 | 50s: 36 | 100s: 9 | HS: 129

Best Test bowling averages (min 150 wickets)

SF Barnes (Eng) – 189 at 16.43

Alan Davidson (Aus) – 186 at 20.53

Malcolm Marshall (WI) – 376 at 20.94

Joel Garner (WI) – 259 at 20.97

Curtly Ambrose (WI) – 405 at 20.99

 

[hk031992]

Passed away at the age of 92.

Farewell to an Australian ATG. Successor to Lindwall & Miller. Fast with the new ball, big orthodox swinger. Minuscule bowling average in a batter’s decade. Super accurate. Capable #8 batter with two test centuries. Superlative catcher.

From what I read, a really good guy too.

https://www.cricket.com.au/news/alan-davidson-dies-australia-allrounder-tied-test-west-indies/2021-10-30

My knowledge of cricket before the 70's is limited but this is a great tribute. He seems like an incredible player from the clips you posted. RIP to an ATG. I will definitely do some research on this era of cricket. As fans, we are indebted to the great players who paved the way for modern cricket.

 

[Last Monetarist]

A true all-time great and arguably the best left-arm fast bowler in history.

He could have had another 100 test wickets if not for injuries.

Vale Alan Davidson.

 

[Robert]

My knowledge of cricket before the 70's is limited but this is a great tribute. He seems like an incredible player from the clips you posted. RIP to an ATG. I will definitely do some research on this era of cricket. As fans, we are indebted to the great players who paved the way for modern cricket.

Stylistically very similar to Wasim.

He bowled at some fine batters who struggled to score off him in a flat deck decade - Weekes, Worrall, Walcott, Sobers, May, Cowdrey, Dexter.

 

[RexRex]

Stylistically very similar to Wasim.

He bowled at some fine batters who struggled to score off him in a flat deck decade - Weekes, Worrall, Walcott, Sobers, May, Cowdrey, Dexter.

It's hard to judge cricketers from a pre-1975 era. A lot of the cricket was not professional enough. Many on social media think he's better than Mcgrath, which I thought was funny.

 

[Zaz]

Sad News A fine bowler of his time RIP

 

[wrongun]

He basically is in a dead heat with Wasim Akram as the GOAT left-arm quick.

Even their batting was identical in quality.

Richie Benaud always used to pick Davidson in his atg Australian teams. And he was a fair judge of a player. Australia's best lefty by miles. And a perfect atg team accompaniment to the right arm pace of Lillee, Miller & McGrath.

 

[Robert]

It's hard to judge cricketers from a pre-1975 era. A lot of the cricket was not professional enough. Many on social media think he's better than Mcgrath, which I thought was funny.

Not professional enough for what? All cricketers were professionals in Davo’s time except the Kiwis.

 

[Robert]

Richie Benaud always used to pick Davidson in his atg Australian teams. And he was a fair judge of a player. Australia's best lefty by miles. And a perfect atg team accompaniment to the right arm pace of Lillee, Miller & McGrath.

No room for Lindy? He was leading test wicket taker for a while.

 

[wrongun]

No room for Lindy? He was leading test wicket taker for a while.

Honestly can't remember if Richie used to include him or not.

Personally I plump for McGrath- did it vs a wider array of stern oppositions in foreign environments. Lindwall may have had him for pace but we have Lillee & Miller in the side already, no shortage of pace.

 

[Robert]

Honestly can't remember if Richie used to include him or not.

Personally I plump for McGrath- did it vs a wider array of stern oppositions in foreign environments. Lindwall may have had him for pace but we have Lillee & Miller in the side already, no shortage of pace.

Sure. Who would get the new ball? DK and Nugget the quickest, Davo arguably the biggest swinger?

 

[wrongun]

Sure. Who would get the new ball? DK and Nugget the quickest, Davo arguably the biggest swinger?

Davo definitely the swing bowler of the group ( mean they could all do it, but Davo it was his "method") so he has to open in Oz (could come on first change in England with the Duke lacquer effect).

Other opening spot has to go to Lillee. He just wouldn't stand for anything else. You could only take it off him to rile him up (rarely). He's also arguably the most skilled & versatile- can to fast & hostile, swing, cutters, you name it, he'll deliver it- with verve.

That leaves McGrath at 1st change. He'd be put out (he had a bit of pride/ego too) but his style wasn't greatly affected by old or new ball- he was genuinely good with both & could suffocate wickets out with accuracy/corridor bowling like nobody else, wasn't reliant wholly on movement like many bowlers.

Miller was the least likely to demand this or that & push his own barrow. He'd happily be 2nd change & then make you look like an idiot for not putting him on earlier, if he felt like it. But that's why I like him kept up the sleeve- he absolutely could come on & change a game at any stage- a bit Freddie or Stokesy there. But he wasn't an outright hostile, ruthless ******* at all times. If my outright ruthless, hostile ******** fail- THEN Miller has the necessary motivation to pitch in & do his bit. The legend has it he was far better when roused by a tough situation than setting up the game.