Tea Tree Gully veteran cricketer Tim Davey loses passion for game, calls time on illustrious career
A Tea Tree Gully cricketer who played in nine of the Bulls’ premierships, including two of the two-day flag wins, has lost his love of playing and has called time on his playing career.
Local Sport
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Tim Davey has spent the past two decades calling Tea Tree Gully Cricket club his second home.
He has played 190 senior games, nine of the Bulls’ grand final wins, including a two-day flag in 2014/15 and 2017/18, one-day premierships in 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 and Twenty20 titles in 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, 2015/16.
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But the loss to eventual premiers Kensington at home on Saturday March 14, was Davey’s final game for the club after deciding to retire.
Davey, 32, was disappointed with the Bulls’ finish to their 2020 campaign — they ended the season eighth on the two-day ladder with five wins, five losses and two draws.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, meanwhile, posted 317 runs across 12 games this season at 22.64.
But Davey said he had lost his passion for the game and knew the time was right to step down.
“We were pretty disappointing since Christmas,”.
“I think we lost two games outright.
“We were in the mix before that but that sort of put us back to mid table and we didn’t play our best cricket after that.
“(But) I think I’ve just lost the love of playing the game, it’s that simple.
“I had been playing for that long and I thought now is probably a good time to call it.
“As soon as you stop enjoying something, training becomes a chore and it makes it hard to get up for a game.
“I didn’t want to be playing and not enjoying it, so that was the main reason.”
Davey joined Tea Tree Gully when he was 12 and made his way up the ranks from the juniors.
He said the friendships he made along his journey would be what he remembers most.
But in terms of playing memories, the 2014/15 two-day title win will be the one he looks back on as the best.
“The first two-day flag we won against Woodville was the best,” he said.
“We lost the year before and then getting that (2014/15) one was pretty sweet so I’d say that would be the most memorable moment, that’s for sure”.
Kensington, which finished top, was awarded this year’s two-day title after finals were abandoned because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Davey said it was the right call, given the circumstances.
He still plans to watch the Bulls play next grade cricket season, should it go ahead.
“I’ve still got a lot of close mates at the club so I won’t be a stranger,” Davey said.
“The club means everything to me I owe them a lot and it’s been a huge part of my life.”