Ian Davis (cricketer)
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Ian Charles Davis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | 25 June 1953|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut (cap 266) | 29 December 1973 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 15 August 1977 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ODI debut (cap 20) | 30 March 1974 v New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last ODI | 4 June 1977 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1973/74–1974/75 | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1975/76 | Queensland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1976/77–1982/83 | New South Wales | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 12 December 2005 |
Ian Charles Davis (born 25 June 1953) is an Australian former
Bright start
Ian Davis' talent was spotted early and he was selected to tour the
Davis made his
His maiden first-class century came on 18 January 1974 against
Davis was selected for the test series in New Zealand playing in all three tests. He scored his first test fifty in Christchurch in March 1974 scoring exactly 50 runs from 107 balls before being caught by New Zealand captain
Davis performed well enough to be included in the Australian squad for the 1974/75
The 1974/75 season was a poor one for Davis. He failed to register a first-class century, scoring only one fifty. He played 15 innings in 8 matches averaging only 17.21. His place in the test XI had been taken by the returning
Recalled
Subsequently, Davis was recalled by Australia for the 1976/77 test series at home to Pakistan. Selected to open the batting in the first test at Brisbane he scored his maiden test century (105 off 201 balls) in the first innings but was out for a duck in the second bowled by Sarfraz Nawaz. Davis finished the three match series with an average of 49.00 after scoring fifties in both innings in the second test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (56 and 88).
A two test tour to New Zealand followed the Pakistan series. Davis finished the tour with an average of 33.72 and top score of 68 from 12 innings in 6 matches. He scored only 75 runs in the tests with a top score of just 34. The thrilling Centenary Test match against England at the MCG was played in March 1977, Davis scoring a vital 68 in the Aussies' second innings. Australia won the match by 45 runs, Dennis Lillee claiming 11 wickets in the match.[8]
The Australian winter of 1977 saw Davis selected in the Ashes party to tour England.[9] Davis played two ODIs on the tour scoring one run in two innings, he never played another ODI. In the five test series Davis was picked in the second, third and fourth tests opening with Rick McCosker. However he scored only 107 (ave. 17.83), his best score of 34 coming in his first test innings at Old Trafford. Following scores of 12, 33, 9, 0 and 19 Davis was dropped and replaced by Craig Serjeant at the top of the order. The fourth test at Headingley would not only be Davis' last test but also the last officially recognised first class match he would play until the 1979/80 season.
World Series Cricket
Davis was signed by
Davis had more success in the International Cup (the 40 over competition), which is surprising given he was only selected for three official One-Day Internationals. He played in 18 International Cup matches over the two seasons scoring 428 runs (ave. 25.18) with two fifties (top score 69). Davis was selected for the marquee WSC Tour of the West Indies, however the bank he was employed with refused to grant him leave.[12] So Davis missed out on the tour which signalled the end of World Series Cricket after Packer reached a settlement with the cricketing authorities in May 1979.[13]
After World Series Cricket
The 1979/80 season saw the Packer players return to their State sides. Although Davis would play only three Sheffield Shield matches that season batting back down the order at 4. The highlight of his being a score of 112 against the new fully participating
1982/83 proved to be Davis' final first-class season. NSW were again runners-up to Western Australia, this time by four points. But Davis played just twice scoring 87 runs. Davis retired aged just 30. His last first-class match being played on 10 February 1983 against the touring Sri Lankans. He scored 14 runs.
Davis' biography was published in 2004 entitled, More Than Cricket, as told to Author Brian Wood.
References
- ^ "Cricinfo – Ian Davis Profile".
- ^ South Coast Register – Test cricketer backs Matthews, 2 June 2009
- ^ Cricket Archive – Australian Schoolboys in West Indies 1969/70, archived from the original on 20 June 2009, retrieved 9 September 2017
- ^ Cricinfo – Australia v New Zealand, Melbourne 1974 Scorecard
- ^ Cricket Archive – Sheffield Shield Batting Averages 1973/74
- ^ Cricket Archive New Zealand v Australia 1st ODI 1974
- ^ Cricket Archive – NSW v MCC 1975 Scorecard
- ^ Cricinfo – 1977 Centenary Test Match Scorecard
- ^ Kay, Oliver, The Times – Caught in Time: Australia Tour of England 1977, London
- ^ Fox Sports – The Packer Revolution, 17 July 2023
- ^ BBC Sport Jonathan Agnew column, BBC News, 27 December 2005, retrieved 5 January 2010
- ^ Wisden (1980) The Packer Years, 27 December 2005
- ^ Cricinfo – World Series Cricket Stats