Beloved Mudgeeraba cricketer Rick Davies remembered after battle with cancer

Beloved Mudgeeraba Nerang and Districts cricketer Rick Davies has been remembered by the Gold Coast cricket community after his passing this week.

WITH black electrical tape wrapped tight around their arms, Mudgeeraba Nerang honoured fallen club great Rick Davies with the performance of their Kookaburra Cup season to hand Runaway Bay its first defeat and take the competition lead back to Corbwood Oval.

Davies scored 4900 club runs across 175 lower grade innings in the decade spanning 2010 to 2020.

In that time no other Mudgeeraba batsmen has come within 1100 runs of his individual contribution to the club.

His death on Friday evening, after a short battle with cancer, spurred teams even from beyond his club to don black armbands and observe minutes of silence to remember one of the region’s most popular cricketers.

Mudgeeraba Nerang and Districts cricketer Rick Davies passed away after a short battle with cancer. Photo: Supplied

First grader Josh Nelson took to social media on Saturday morning promising he would get the win for Davies.

His first innings 84 proved the difference in a match the Bushmen hung on to win in the final over.

“It was a bit of funny, s---ty morning,” Nelson reflected.

“It was sad, Rick’s a legend who won premierships for the club and he’s got two young fellas that both go alright.

“We did the minute’s silence and both sides wore the black armbands.

“We were under the pump at 2-126 (defending 234 in the second innings) and we said, ‘Come on boys, we’re doing this for Rick.’

“We took 5-28 and got back in the game.”

At 7-143 with 15 overs to play Runaway Bay appeared beaten, until an 86-run partnership between all-rounder Stveen Graham (49) and wicketkeeper Sam Burdock (38) breathed life into the Seagulls chase.

Requiring nine from the final over, Graham was run out on the arm of teenager Griff Williams to leave No.10 Billy Walker with two balls to find five runs for victory.

Keith Morrison’s bowling came up trumps with a dot ball and a single to seal the win and leapfrog the Seagulls into first place.

“On a day like yesterday that was pretty special,” Nelson said.

“It was a sad day but we celebrated. We had a few beers and sang the club song in the clubhouse with like 100 people.

“Rick would have loved that - he was always the life of the party.”

EARLIER

CRICKET came second on Saturday as the Gold Coast community joined together to mourn the loss of one of its true characters.

Mudgeeraba Nerang and Districts cricketer Rick Davies passed away this week after a short battle with cancer, club president Matthew Gill confirmed on Facebook.

Gill described Rick, who last played for the club on November 28 2020, as a “great mate” and “larrikin (who) will be sadly missed but always fondly remembered.”

The announcement produced an outpouring of emotion from Mudgeeraba’s cricket family.

“What a champion bloke very hard to take this. We will miss you Rick got no words to describe this. Love to your family kids and lots of love to Jimmy,” one member wrote.

“Rest In Peace our premiership teammate. A mighty bushman,” wrote another.

Bonogin’s sixth grade captain led an impassioned pre-game address prior to the Bulls’ match with Mudgeeraba on Saturday, in which he urged both teams to “go out, have fun and play hard like Rick would.”

It came after the Bonogin club posted to Facebook with a tribute to Rick.

“On behalf of the Bonogin Valley Bulls Cricket Club we would like to express our deepest condolences to the Mudgeeraba Nerang and Districts Cricket Club and Rick Davies’ family and friends,” the post read.

“Quite a few of our players got the privilege of playing with Rick at MNDCC and others against him as he represented his beloved Mudgeeraba Nerang and Districts Cricket Club. He was a jovial, competitive cricketer who loved the game no matter what level he played at.

“As a mark of respect all of our senior sides will wear black armbands today.

“Our prayers go out to his family, we have no doubt his legacy will live on.

“RIP Rick Davies.”