Ollie Davies’ gorgeous Shield revival | 11:54
Will Faulkner from Fox Sports@willfaulknerfoxOctober fifteenth, 2026 12:19 pm
Not so way back, Ollie Davies was again playing grade cricket for Manly, questioning whether a change of scenery is perhaps the answer to his cricketing woes.
Quick forward a matter of months, and the right-hander has produced one of many nice modern-day Sheffield Shield knocks, blasting an eye-watering 253 off simply 225 balls in his first-ever Shield innings as an opener.
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It was a stunning vindication of recent Blues coach Brad Haddin’s bold name to maneuver Davies up the order after a torrid 12-month stretch that saw the explosive right-hander dropped from each New South Wales’ red-ball and one-day sides.
But as Davies revealed on Fox Cricket’s Domesticated vodcast, the transfer nearly never happened, with the batter initially unconvinced by Haddin’s left-field proposal.
“For me, I spoke to him (Haddin) early within the season and saw on a team list for one of many trial games that I was opening. I was like: ‘Oh, that’s a bit weird, I don’t normally do this — I’m completely happy to bat five or six’,” Davies began.
“Then, I played one of many trial games and nicked off for a third-ball duck. I had a protracted chat with Brad after that innings, and mentioned: ‘I’m undecided if this is for me’. He basically mentioned: ‘Simply give it a crack. We’ve been fascinated by it for some time, and we predict it might suit you.’
“Subsequent innings, I went out and batted and bought 140 not out. He was identical to: ‘Yep, I believe that will suit you properly!’
“It simply progressed from there, and I stored opening the batting in all of the trial games. I scored a couple of runs right here and there, and simply caught with it. It’s definitely not something I believed I would’ve performed — opening in a Shield game — but I’m stoked for the chance and to be again within the Blues set-up playing games.”
Davies’ innings was as destructive as they arrive in modern-day home cricket. After the Blues bowled Tasmania out for 245 early on day two, a really inexperienced Cricket Central pitch was starting to flatten out, setting the stage for the right-hander’s extraordinary assault.
With 38 fours and 4 sixes, Davies registered the fastest double-century recorded in Sheffield Shield history, while ending a 964-day await a double hundred in Australia’s four-day first-class format.
“It was pretty surreal. It was my first time opening in Sheffield Shield and second time ever in red-ball cricket, so I wasn’t sure how I needed to go about it,” Davies mentioned.
“I’m naturally a reasonably aggressive participant that likes to maneuver the game forward. A part of me was like: ‘I’ll have a look for 20-30 balls and get into my innings’.
“But, after going through the primary over, I was like: ‘The sphere’s up, I’m simply going to try and pile in and get as many as I can, as quick as I can!’”
Davies snaps NSW drought with 253 | 07:40
But while Davies made batting look remarkably easy in opposition to Tasmania, the highway again to the New South Wales side had been something but.
Less than a year earlier, the gifted right-hander discovered himself at one of many lowest factors of his younger career, dropped from each state sides and struggling to rediscover the enjoyment that had long accompanied his talent.
A return of 123 runs at a median of simply 13.66 saw the 26-year-old dropped after five Shield games, while his spot within the 50-over side lasted simply two matches.
“I’m not going to lie, it was probably a reasonably dark time. All by way of my junior cricket, and even the start of my skilled career, I’ve all the time scored runs … if I had a couple of bad games, I’d all the time bounce again,” Davies mentioned.
“I had a shocking begin to the year, bought dropped from the one-day team after the second game. Then, five games into the year I bought dropped from the Shield team. I knew it was coming as well.
“I played a game in opposition to Tasmania at Cricket Central final year, and I bought out for a duck (first innings), then fielded 150 overs within the dirt, and then nicked off for five. I was strolling off the sphere and I knew my destiny.
“It was pretty miserable in that sense. I wasn’t actually having fun with cricket; I simply felt a variety of stress. I went again to grade cricket for Manly after that for the again finish of the season, and was playing with a few of my good mates once more. I was simply absolutely loving it once more — there was no stress to score runs, and it kind of allowed me to rating runs.
“I found a bit of affection for cricket once more; playing on a Saturday and then going out for a couple of beers with among the lads afterwards. It was definitely an interesting six to 12 months. I didn’t play a lot Large Bash for the Thunder both
Ironically, it was Ollie’s omission that opened the door for younger brother Joel to make his long-awaited Sheffield Shield debut for New South Wales final December, providing a bittersweet household subplot to an otherwise tough period.
It meant that while Davies was rediscovering his love for cricket away from the skilled highlight, his younger brother’s contrasting fortunes created an unusual dynamic between the two “best mates”.
“He basically got here in and took my spot. When that happened, he simply went straight by way of the roof and playing T20 cricket for Australia just lately, and I was again playing grade cricket for Manly,” Davies explained.
“Whereas he’s my brother and my best mate, he probably wasn’t the very best individual to lean on because we were entering into utterly reverse instructions. My Dad as well (I leant on); he’s all the time there to have a chat. Nothing ever too severe … he simply loves watching me play cricket. He doesn’t care if I’m scoring runs, he simply needs me to be completely happy and enjoy my cricket.
“My Dad and Nick Larkin (former NSW Cricket batting lead) were the two huge ones for me.”
Amid the robust patch, Davies also discovered himself considering a transfer away from New South Wales, despite the state’s desire to retain him.
“I had a conversation with Greg Mail (NSW Chief Performance Officer) … after I bought dropped from the Shield team, we had a chat. He mentioned: ‘We want to signal you for another few years, and we would like you to remain in Sydney’,” Davies added.
“I had some interest proven from other Large Bash groups … he (Mail) shot me a text after the game the other day saying ‘congratulations on the runs’, and I simply texted again saying: ‘Thanks a lot for backing me in and having faith in me’.
“I love New South Wales, and I love dwelling in Curl Curl on the northern beaches. I’d never actually want to transfer, however it definitely was something, because everyone else was excelling and I was simply going downhill. I was like: ‘Perhaps a change of scenery could be good for me’, but I believe with Brad Haddin and among the new teaching employees this year, it’s given me a fresh begin. Something I wanted personally.”
To observe Ollie Davies’ full chat on Fox Cricket’s Domesticated, click right here!
Source: www.foxsports.com.au
