Vale Alan Davidson AM MBE
Esteemed Member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame

14/06/1929 – 30/10/2021

The Sport Australia Hall of Fame is mourning the passing of esteemed Member Alan Davidson AM MBE who passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends on Saturday, October 30, 2021 at the age of 92.

An all-round cricketer whose greatest strength was as a left-arm fast-medium swing bowler, Davidson played 44 Tests for Australia in which he scored 1,328 runs at an average of 24.59. He claimed 186 wickets at 20.53 and was the first player to take 10 wickets and score 100 runs in a single Test, which he did in the famous tied Test against the West Indies at the Gabba during the 1960/61 series.

In First Class cricket, Davidson took 672 wickets and amassed 6,804 runs at 32.86, registering career-best figures of 7/93 in 1959 against India in the Kanpur Test.

Born at Lisarow in the Gosford region of New South Wales, Davidson broke into Sheffield Shield cricket in 1949/50 and the following season was selected to tour New Zealand with the Australian Second XI. In the match against Wairarapa, he took all ten first innings wickets for 29 runs, and followed up with a score of 157 not out.

In 1953 he made his Test debut at Nottingham and was a member of the Australian side that toured South Africa in 1957/58, where he topped the bowling averages and batted brilliantly. He took 25 wickets in five Tests on the tour, and was third in the batting averages with 54.20.

Sport Australia Hall of Fame Chair John Bertrand AO said;

“Alan Davidson was a pioneering left-arm fast bowler in the age of Richie Benaud and one of Australian cricket’s gentlemen.

An influence across the game as an athlete, administrator, selector, and a positive inspiration to cricket worldwide. Alan embraced everything life had to offer and will remain an example for all. 

We are mourning a great loss and we send our deepest condolences to Alan’s family and the entire cricket community.”

Read Alan Davidson’s full biography here.

Image: Getty