Australian cricket in mourning after deaths of Ashley Mallett and Alan Davidson

Alan Davidson was a humble superstar and Bill Lawry had no doubt that if ‘Davo’ had played today he would’ve been an ‘untouchable’ great of the modern game.

Alan Davidson tears in during an Ashes Test against England.

Bill Lawry has no doubt about it. Had Alan Davidson played today he would have been an “untouchable’’ multi-million dollar star.

But he claims the man himself still never knew how good he was.

“Had he played today (in T20 cricket) you would have not had enough money to pay him,’’ former Test captain Lawry told News Corp.

Had Alan Davidson played today he would have been an “untouchable’’ multi-million dollar star according to former Test capatin Bill Lawry.

Champion allrounder Davidson, 92, died with his family around him in Sydney at 11.30am on Saturday, having lived with wife Betty in the same house for 57 years and remaining highly active late in life with a string of board positions he felt essential to keep him mentally sharp.

His Test record was gold crusted … 44 Tests, 1328 runs at 24.5 and 186 wickets at a jaw-dropping average of 20.52, plus 42 catches which tell their own story of a man whose standards have been unreachable in Australia since he retired 58 years ago though Mitchell Johnson came close.

“Davo was the real Big Show because he was actually consistent. There are few better cricketers who have played the game than Davo. Cricket has lost a fine man,” Lawry said.

“He had a Test bowling of 20, he was a tremendous lower order hitter and he was so good in the field his nickname was The Claw and he could catch a mosquito flying past.

“Davo never knew how good he was. Richie Benaud was the star with his open chested shirt and Brylcream but while all the spotlight was on Richie, Davo was probably sitting quietly in the dressing room with 5-40.

“Davo was quite shy when he was playing. He would never talk about himself although after he retired things changed a bit and I remember getting a few ear-bashings from him at cricket functions.

Davidson shocked many with his clever bowling. Picture: John Feder/The Australian.

“He was very clever. He got me out with a bouncer once in Melbourne and I was shocked because I had never seen him bowl one. He didn’t need to. He was so accurate he would just angle his left-armed stuff across the body, batsmen would edge and Bob Simpson or Wally Grout would catch it.

“It seems like kindergarten stuff but it just worked. And what a guy to play with. He gave me so much encouragement.

“When he was bowling he would tell me to go squarer from mid-on to midwicket because he would cover mid-on. He gave so much back to the game when he retired with NSW Cricket’’

Davidson grew up near Gosford in farming country and recently told The Australian’s Gideon Haigh he “didn’t know what a steak was until I moved to Sydney … but my mother could cook rabbit 10 different ways.’’

Haigh pointed out the essence of Davidson’s accuracy was summed up by the fact that half of his victims were in single figures, a third were bowled or lbw, and he conceded less than two runs an over. He gave them nothing.

Don Bradman’s tribute to Davidson was something the late great cherished.

Davidson carried the Australian attack after the retirements of the great Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall and has few better games than the iconic Tied Test against the West Indies in Brisbane when he made 44 and 80 and took 5-135 and 6-87.

Davidson was a popular player with rivals. During one Test in England he bowled the last over of the day to Ken Barrington then joined him for a junior trophy night with Barrington raising his bat towards Davidson after the last ball as if to say “don’t forget we leave at 6.30pm.’’

Davidson told Haigh the tribute that meant most to him came after his career was finished and Sir Donald Bradman said “he played the game with integrity.’’

A simple sentence which said it all.

Cricket in mourning after death of two Aussie legends

Former Test great Alan Davidson has died in Sydney after a sorrowful 24 hours for Australian cricket.

A left-armed swing bowler and powerful batsman, Davidson passed away aged 92 at 11.30am on Saturday with his family around his bed.

His death comes just a day after champion off-spinner Ashley Mallett died of cancer in Adelaide.

Davidson was arguably the most underrated star in Australian cricket history with phenomenal returns of 186 wickets at just over 20 apiece and a batting average of 24 from his 44 Test.

“The world never really knew how good Davo was,’’ West Indian great Sir Garfield Sobers, considered cricket’s greatest allrounder, told News Corp.

“How many bowlers average 20 per wicket. And then can bat and field as well. He would have shone for any Australian team in any era. And above all, what a nice guy and team man. Our players loved him and would gravitate around him.’’

Some of his best performances came after he seemed down or troubled by injury such as the starring role he played in the Tied Test against the West Indies in Brisbane which he entered with a bad back

Australian cricket legend and all-rounder Alan Davidson in 2019.

Brutal 24 hours for Australian cricket losing Ashley Mallett and Alan Davidson. Wonderful cricketers. Fine men.

— Robert Craddock (@craddock_cmail) October 30, 2021

CHAPPELL’S TRIBUTE TO GREAT MATE MALLETT

In many ways it was highly appropriate that a spin bowler who was always trying to be positive held the same view of his own life two days before it ended.

Champion off-spinner Ashley Mallett died of cancer aged 76 on Friday, and one of the last people to speak to him was his former Test captain Greg Chappell.

“As luck would have it, I rang him Wednesday and, while his voice was very weak, he sounded very positive and we had a good chat,” Chappell said.

Greg Chappell with Ashley Mallett and Ross Edwards in 1975.

Mallett (fifth from right) with Australia’s 1972 Ashes squad.

“He was talking about new treatment he was getting and I went away from the call thinking we might catch up for a cup of tea at some point and he thought that was fine.

“I am so pleased I got to talk to him. He gave me no indication (his death) was imminent so I was really surprised when I heard the news.

“He was a fabulous bowler who doesn‘t get the recognition he deserved. You look at that 1974-75 series against England. Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson get all the credit, and they deserved their plaudits, but Rowdy took 17 wickets at 19. He was outstanding. A true gentleman. Wonderful company.’’

A truly great South Australian cricketer, writer and person. We will be wearing black armbands today in honour of Ashley Mallett.

— West End Redbacks (@WestEndRedbacks) October 30, 2021

Nicknamed Rowdy because he was anything but, Mallett, who played his state cricket with South Australia, took 132 wickets in 38 Tests at 29 apiece, impressive enough for an off-spinner but further into the numbers there are some hidden pearls.

Mallett took his 100th Test wicket in his 23rd Test - the same as Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath and one Test slower than Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson - which in rarefied air indeed.

Mallett helps out South Africa spinner Pat Symcox in 1997.

Chappell said modest cricket payments and the need to earn a living away from the game curtailed his career.

“He was a journalist and he had to take time off to play and we were being paid peanuts.

“I remember on the 1972 tour of England, I walked past his room and he was eating fish and chips trying to save money, which he could send home to his family.

“We got paid $2000 for that tour. He played 38 Tests. He would have played 100 Tests had he played today. Even in his own era without having to work, he would have played 70 or 80. He was worthy of a place in any team I played in.

“He would have been brilliant in the West Indies and Pakistan, but he couldn‘t afford to go, and on the tour he did go to in India, they won where they didn’t win again for decades. He was a big part of that. Subtle variations in pace, drift and bounce, Rowdy was always trying to get you out.’’

Mallett played 38 Tests for Australia.

Mallett was a freakishly good gully fieldsman, a fact which astounded Chappell “because I reckon had he been tested he could have been found technically blind.”

Thomson said no fieldsman in the gully took better catches off his rocket-launched deliveries despite the fact that “he was really uncoordinated off the field.”

“The big thing about him off my bowling was he was brave enough to come closer to the bat and cut down the angle where, to be frank, a lot of guys just s*** themselves and stood further away,‘’ Thomson said.

“This is sad news. He was quiet and a good team man. Quirky and funny, he could bat and bowl and field.”

One person who didn‘t rate Mallett was Kerry Packer who famously wanted to get a week’s coaching from Barry Knight and face Mallett in the nets with the incentive of giving him a World Series Cricket contract if he got Packer out.

Ashley Mallett (centre) with David Hookes and Rodney Hogg in 1980.

Chappell was there when Mallett visited iconic wrist spinner Clarrie Grimmett in Adelaide and Grimmett made Mallett bowl over an elevated piece of string and land the ball in a bucket to improve his flight.

“Rowdy was such a student of the game, of people and life. A very deep fellow. Great company. I‘ve been thinking this afternoon about the good and tough times we shared.’’

Farewell Rowdy: Cricket loses one of its great characters

Australia has lost one of its greatest off-spinners and cricketing characters – Ashley Mallett died of cancer on Friday, aged 76.;

Mallett, nicknamed Rowdy because he was anything but, died in Adelaide where he lived after moving from Western Australia in search of a first class career that took him to great heights.

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Mallett was a regular team-mate of Greg and Ian Chappell at interstate and Test level and both men tell endless stories about his unique, colorful and occasionally eccentric ways, like the time he started a diary on a plane, spilt coffee on it and consequently made his first diary entry “spilt coffee on diary.’’

Ashley Mallett passed away of cancer aged 76.

Mallett’s Test record of 132 wickets at 29.84 from 38 matches from 1968-80 made him one of best off-spinners Australia has ever had.

With a gentle approach to the wicket and high arm action he gained flight and bounce and was also an exceptional gully fieldsman.

He played in an era when pace demons Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee were taking over the world but Australia still highly valued his work.

Mallett was a prolific author and his final book was about Neil Harvey, the youngest member of Don Bradman’s Invincibles of 1948.

Mallett wrote a significant work about the Australian Aboriginal cricket team that toured England in 1868 and biographies on Victor Trumper and master spinner Clarrie Grimmett.

He read Grimmett’s own books and once privately noted how Grimmett protected the true secrets of his craft.

“I enjoyed his writings but one thing he never revealed in his books was the secrets of balls he bowled like the flipper - he was very crafty,’’ Mallett said.

Mallett also had a very successful Sheffield Shield career with South Australia, taking 391 wickets in 91 matches and played in three title-winning seasons in 1968-69, 70-71 and 75-76.

He was also the co-author of Aussie cricket legend Victor Trumper’s biography.

It was on the 1969-70 tour of India that he first really came to prominence, taking 28 wickets with his off-spin at 19.11, as Lawry’s side scored a 3-1 series win, the last series win for Australia in India until 2004.

“‘Rowdy’ was brilliant in that series,” Ian Chappell said.

“Erapalli Prasanna was the best spinner I faced, and ‘Rowdy’ matched him over those five matches.”

Mallett’s record speaks for itself: his 8-59 against Pakistan in Adelaide in 1972-73 remains the eighth best bowling figures by an Australian in a Test innings.

TRIBUTES FLOWING

Tributes for Mallett have been flowing from the sporting world.

Cricket writer and journalist Andrew Faulkner said Mallett would be remembered for his “generosity and kindness”.

Vale Rowdy. Thanks for your generosity and kindness. And for your Nugget book. And for your unfailing belief in attacking spin. I'm sad.

— Andrew Faulkner (@AndrewFaulkner9) October 29, 2021

Sports commentator Stephen Quartermain said Mallett was “one of my childhood cricket heroes”.

Vale Ashley Mallett.
One of my childhood cricket heroes.
Wily off-spinner. Unbelievable gully fieldsman.
Great writer.
Clearly took a mean photo. pic.twitter.com/EzwNYyd4hL

— Stephen Quartermain (@Quartermain10) October 29, 2021