Alan Davidson (cricketer, born 1929)

Alan Keith Davidson AM MBE (14 June 1929 – 30 October 2021) was an Australian cricketer of the 1950s and 1960s. He was a left-handed all rounder: a hard-hitting lower-order batsman, and an outstanding fast-medium opening bowler. Strongly built and standing six feet tall, Davidson was known for his hard hitting power, which yielded many long-hit sixes.

His bowling was a mainstay of the Australian pace attack of the 1950s and early 1960s, and from the late 1950s he was widely regarded as one of the finest pace bowlers in the world. Davidson's classical bowling action imparted late swing, allowing him to move the ball to deceive batsmen and he bowled with great control, conceding fewer than two runs per over across his career. In 2006, writer Geoff Armstrong considered that Davidson was, along with Wasim Akram, one of the two greatest left-arm fast bowlers in history.

Davidson was also known for his anticipation in close catching positions and his accurate and strong throwing arm from the outfield; his ability to take improbable close range catches saw him earn the nickname "The Claw". He was the first player to obtain the distinction of achieving the double of getting ten wickets and scoring 100 runs in the same Test match.

The son of Leslie Keith Davidson and Hilda Aileen Clifton, Davidson grew up in Lisarow, New South Wales (NSW) near the city of Gosford on the NSW Central Coast. He learnt to play cricket on a pitch that he dug out of a hill on his family's rural property. By the age of nine, he was playing in the second division of the Gosford grade competition. Throughout his high school years, he represented Northern High Schools in the state combined public schools' competition where he played against his future Test captain Richie Benaud, who captained City High Schools. During his teenage years, Davidson kept fit by working on the family property, chopping wood and carrying farm produce.

Davidson originally bowled left arm unorthodox spin, but when his uncle's team was missing a fast bowler in a country match, Davidson stepped in, remaining a fast bowler permanently. In 1948–49, he moved to Sydney and joined the Northern Districts grade club. A talented rugby league player in his youth, he trained with the Western Districts Football Club in the off season to maintain his fitness.

The Australian Test team was touring South Africa in 1949–50, creating opportunities for young players back home. This was especially true with respect to fast bowling, as Keith Miller and Ray Lindwall, Australia's two leading pacemen, were from New South Wales and were in South Africa. In addition, Ernie Toshack, who had been in the Test team since World War II, had broken down.

Amid this environment, Davidson was selected for New South Wales. On debut against South Australia, Davidson claimed the wicket of Bob McLean with his second ball and finished with 4/32. He then made 34 with the bat as New South Wales took a 282-run lead, but was unsuccessful in the second innings, taking 0/90 as South Australia held on for a draw.

He finished the season strongly, with 19 wickets in the last three matches against Queensland, South Australia and Victoria. This included a haul of 5/28 and 2/37 as he helped New South Wales to a win over their arch-rivals Victoria, who had defeated them earlier in the season. His debut season ended with 26 wickets at 18.73. He did not surpass his debut innings with the bat and ended with 110 runs at 15.71.