Australia's Alan Davidson has enduring place in game's history

By A.C De Silva

FLASHBACK: Alan Keith Davidson - born in Lisarow, near Gosford in New Wouth Wales, on June q4 in 1929 - Alan started his bowling in cricket as a 'Chinaman' but he achieved greater success when he turned to speed.

At the time he called it a day, he was regarded as the finest left-arm opening bowler Australia has produced. A big man, barrel-chested and broad of shoulder, he developed a withering late in-swinger to compliment his natural drift away from the right-shoulder. He could also be quick.

Like Neil Harvey - Alan Davidson has said that he is 'through" with first-class cricket, as the duo played together for Australia for the last time in the fifth and last Test at Sydney.

Benaud and the rest of the Australian cricketers rightly stopped aside and allowed Harvey and Davidson to go in front and into the pavilion while the spectators gave them a standing ovation. It was a fitting tribute to the two cricketers who have done yeomen service to Australia.

Like Harvey, Davidson came to India with both the Australian teams of 1956 and 1959-60. But unlike Harvey, Davidson left the country on his first visit almost nameless; in fact he came to India with a poor record in England, he played in the two Tests he played in that country.

In India, he played in the Second Test at Bombay and secured only Tamhane's wicket at a cost of 42 runs. But in truth, Davidson, having chipped an ankle bone in the First Test at Nottingham, was never really fit. All the same in the manner of his bowling as the spectators saw it on the Brabourne wicket even then, it was possible to appreciate and asses his potential for greatness.

It was indeed great bowling by Davidson in that memorable Second Test at Kanpur in the 1959-60 series, made more memorable by India's first win over Australia, achieved through fantastic bowling by Jasu Patel, who took nine wickets in the first innings and followed it up with five more in the second.

Davidson, in that match took 12 wickets, five for 31 in the first innings and 7 for 93 in the second. It was a match-winning performance, yet Australia were humbled and India had a historic win by 119 runs.

India won the toss and took first knock on a grass-less wicket. Davidson and Mockiff, another left-arm bowler, began Australia's attack. Davidson continued while Benaud effected changes at his opposite end. The only wickets, those of Roy and Contractor, foll to Benaud, and Umrigar was caught by Davidson off Kline.

From this point it was Davidson's bowling that mattered. He bowled Baig, to begin with and finished with innings by having Patel caught by Kline. India were all out for 152.

Australia replied with 219, Patel with 9 for 69 being unplayable. The Indian batsmen found their touch in the second innings and made 291. But it was Davidson's superb bowling that restricted the total, He kept one end going, bowling 57.3 overs of which 22 were maidens and took 7 wickets for 93 runs.

Australia had thus to get only 224 runs for a win, a task which was well within their capacity and skill. But Patel again and Umrigar bundled the Aussies out for 105 runs to give India a great victory. Davidson might have understandably felt disappointed as, despite his wonderful effort, Australia were defeated.

Davidson was perhaps one of the world's most outstanding left-arm fast medium bowlers. During his days, he was unquestionably the foremost of his class. Nature had endowed him with a poorful physique, so necessary for generating speed; he was as strong as an ox and possessed the stamina of a horse. When running up to the bowling crease form some twenty paces, he approached it with easy rhythm of a middle distance runner.

He nearly always bowled over the wicket and has such splendid control over the swing that he moved the ball either way, but mostly from the leg stump to the off. He often surprised batsmen by bringing the ball in. He was one of these bowlers who knew the art of using the bowling crease, so he was still a wicket-taker even after the ball had lost its shine. His manner and the methods of bowling belonged to pure art.

His a usefulness to the team did not end with his bowling. He was a gifted striker of the ball and has played a number of valuable innings for Australia. He seldom did himself justice although he made runs when they were needed, most notably in the "tied Test" in Brisbane and at Manchester in 1961.

One of the most famous of his knocks was his 77 not out in the Manchester Test in 1961 when, in one over of England's Allen, he hit the bowler for two 6's and two 4's and so changed the complexion of the game that Australia instead of being defeated, won the match.

As a batsman, he was just the man captains loved to have in the lower middle order, offering the broad blade as readily as the long handle. Although he had never made a Test 100, his two best International knocks were worthy of a dozen other three-figure innings. And he was capable of a genuine blacksmith's strike the best remembrance being a six off Colin Cowdrey on the roof of the old Browongle stand at the SCG and another off David Allen that landed on the wall between Old Trafford and the nearby railway yard. And last but not least, he was such a magnificent field man, especially in the slips, that he was nicknamed "The Claw" by Hutton and Company in the 1954 series.

If a catch went up even a few inches from the ground, Davidson was upon it like a kingfisher swooping down on a small fish that comes to the surface of the water for a split second, to see how bright the world was!

Retiring at his peak in 1963, this popular and enthusiastic allrounder notched 1,328 runs (avg: 24.59) and 186 wickets (at 20.59) in his 44 Tests.

As a batsman, he was just the man captains loved to have in the lower middle order, offering the broad blade as readily as the long handle.

Dave's career was studded with startling feats and if his incredible double against Wairapa at Masteron and his world record 11 wickets and 124 runs (in two innings) in the 'tied' Test with West Indies and probably the highlights, his proudest moment was one over against England at Melbourne on New Year's Eve, 1958. It greatly ripped the guts out of them," he remembers, and was the decisive Test in us winning the Ashes.'