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Q: Recently I found my dad’s (Alan Davidson) 1st Grade Premiers Cap of 1948-49 for Northern District Cricket Club and the letter from the club Secretary advising him of his selection in the First Grade Team at the start of the season.
Dad was working at the Commonwealth Bank in Gosford at the time and living in Lisarow.
The letter dated 19 September 1948 goes like this.
Dear Mr Davidson,
Tonight the selectors chose you in our First Grade Eleven for the match at Waitara on Saturday, 25/9/48, subject to your being able to be on the ground at the correct starting time, viz 1-30pm. This applies every Saturday during the season.
You have also been chosen in our First Eleven for the Eight Hour Day Match at Waitara commencing at 10am sharp.
Much as we would be pleased to have your services, I am sure that you will appreciate the fact that your attendance on time is very necessary and in view of your discussion with Mr Caldwell on the difficulties of your transport, the selectors have requested that you make your position known to me at the earliest possible moment so as we can make any adjustments necessary.
With Kind Regards
Yours faithfully
Hon Sec
Apparently, Dad’s father Keith would wait outside the Bank in Gosford where dad worked on Saturday mornings until 10am, with the engine of his old Ford Model, a crank start car running, so as to get to Waitara on time.
He finished the first season, winning the competition and winning the clubs and Sydney bowling averages with 38 wickets at 14.2 apiece and becoming the youngest person in history to do it.
A: Hi Neil,
We use to play against each other in lower grade cricket.
Your father was a true gentleman and came up at tea to congratulate me for an innings against your team at Blick Oval.
He was always someone we looked up to not only for cricket but his personality.
Trust the years have been good to you.
Cheers,
Richard
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Q: A golden era in Australian club cricket
As most cricket experts will tell you, comparing standards and statistics of different eras is pretty pointless. Comparisons across eras are unfair because too many things change over time. Fair enough, but there is much evidence that backs the assertion that the 1950s and 60s were the heyday of first-grade cricket in Australia.
These days, premier league cricket, as first grade is called now, is played with great intensity by players who are much bigger, stronger and fitter than ever before. But today’s compétitions lack two things that characterised club cricket in the 50s and 60s.
https://www.cricconnect.com/profile/531/john-rogers/blog/1281/a-golden-era-in-australian-club-cricket
A: Cricket transformed from a “sport” to a “business” during the “Packer” period with many changes occurring post-1970. Pre 1970 is as you describe it John Roger’s. Post - sports like baseball moved from Winter to Summer although there was still a good winter competition in Sydney and many UNSW cricketers came and chanced their arms at baseball…I think it was probably more for the beer and companionship.
But you had to chose whether the focus was cricket or baseball.
Also the intensity of cricket increased with multi-formats and the opportunity to earn enough to “raise and feed a family”.
Remember several friends moving north to QLD to follow their cricket dream.
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Q: Do you recognise this ground from Sydney Grade Cricket and do you have a memorable moment you'd like to share from playing or watching a game at the ground?
A: Yep…Petersham Oval on the right field line. Spent many an afternoon playing right field for Pete’s there in my early baseball days,
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Q: Who are the captains, coaches and leaders in cricket, sport, business or any field of life you admire and relate to most in terms of their achievements, respect and what they stand for?
If you’d like to mention why, please do.
A: Such a broad question. The changes that occurred post “Kerry Packers” involvement in cricket are a highlight that involved 3 key people. Greg Chappell, Allan Border and Bobby Simpson who guided cricket from a 2 day a week “sport” to a 6 day a week “business”. Each one of them had a key role in changing the strategy and culture of cricket. There were many others who helped them.
I was fortunate to play both cricket and baseball. Getting caught in the shift of baseball from winter to summer…while studying.
One thing has stood with me over the years was a comment made by John “Nooky” Swans about “not being able to feed his family cricket or baseballs and respecting those with the degrees”. It was tough for those following their sporting dreams prior to shift of sport to a business focus and ability to make a living.
I was fortunate to live in the USA for 27 years working on global business transformations and met many that you learned a lot from.
Wishing Allan good health as he was a true leader through the time of change in cricket.
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Q: What's the ideal dynamic between a captain and a coach in club cricket?
A: The coach is there to provide help to the captain by reducing workload and focus up and out from the team. Also helping the captain to establish and maintain the desired culture of the team/ club.
Up including interaction with the executive and out with external groups including the press.
Allan Border has given insights to his relationship with Bobby Simpson which were crucial in helping the Australian team compete in what had become a significant business through the impact of Kerry Packer.
Worthwhile reflecting on what “Simo” brought to Allan’s captaincy.
blog post
Back Row – J. Walker (Secretary), G. Montgomery, L. Richardson, G. Condon, B. Rose, J. Norton, (President)Front Row – R. Phillips, R. Fethers, J. MacQueen, K. Foster (Captain), G. Olsen ...
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Q: What is the most surreal moment you've experienced in cricket?
A: Have several but this one sticks with me after all these years.
I had come back from Melbourne where I had moved for work and went to a Middle Harbour “Pigs” baseball game and caught up with Allan and Jane Border. After the game I went back to their Cremorne apartment where they lived prior to moving to Brisbane which was imminent.
Jane sent Allan and me out onto the balcony and we talked about what a great future Allan had in cricket by moving to Brisbane. Allan loved baseball and was pushing me on focusing harder on baseball as I had now finished University.
Allan had great support from Jane, his family and close friends including the Hiscox family in moving to Brisbane.
I moved to the USA for 27 years for my job missing a lot of the great cricket achievements of Allan. Also he and Jane raising a wonderful family. So the recent Kayo review on Allan was great including him walking from his parents home across what is now Allan Border Oval.
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