Heath Davis

[Immenso]

Also never knew that he was terrifyingly fast. Only remember him for being smashed around silly by Tendulkar in an ODI in 1997 which ended his career iirc.

Edit: scorecard

I dont know if he was fast when he was on the international scene, maybe in 1994 he still was. But my impression/ memory was when he had his successful year in 1996/97 he had dialled it back and put more emphasis on control.

His fast reputation was based on the era of radio coverage only NZ domestic cricket. Not only fast, but wild. As in 20 wides in a spell, or constant no-balling etc. Which adds to that bastman's fear, the Devon Malcolm effect ...

So, I dont have a comparison point to base this opinion on, apart from some Ron Snowden radio calls ..

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Larsen claiming in the video that nowadays he would be a special talent, buddy you'd make him wait in line behind Kuggeleijn or something.

 

[Uppercut]

It's a really interesting article. The sporting culture sounds a little bit less hostile than I would have expected. But then NZ cricket wasn't particularly macho as sporting cultures go, and society had already made a bit of progress by the 90s. I'm not sure how far I can relate but I'd imagine the worst part would have been knowing he'd never get his dad's approval.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Not sure how someone could have seen Tuffey, Davis or even Ryder and just thought…there’s a white guy?

And "Parore" is a Maori name (as is Heath "Te-Ihi-O-Te Rangi" Davis).

 

[Marius]

These kinds of things aren't as obvious to outsiders as you would think. Each country has unique racial dynamics which seem self evident but aren't always. I remember someone asked whether Quinton de Kock is mixed race (or 'coloured') and to a South African that's a ridiculous question (he isn't) but to an outsider it may not be that obvious.

 

[thierry henry]

These kinds of things aren't as obvious to outsiders as you would think. Each country has unique racial dynamics which seem self evident but aren't always. I remember someone asked whether Quinton de Kock is mixed race (or 'coloured') and to a South African that's a ridiculous question (he isn't) but to an outsider it may not be that obvious.

Interesting. I could see someone thinking that. When I was a kid I always just assumed Hansie Cronje was ‘not white’ funnily enough, super dark features.

 

[Marius]

Interesting. I could see someone thinking that. When I was a kid I always just assumed Hansie Cronje was ‘not white’ funnily enough, super dark features.

Lots of Afrikaners have non-European ancestry and you can sometimes see it in some people.

Here's an interesting article on it: https://theconversation.com/what-ge...e-ancestry-of-south-africas-afrikaners-133242

I recently did one of those DNA tests and should get the results in the next few weeks. I will be very surprised if I have no non-European ancestry.

 

[ankitj]

Tuffey, perhaps. But I think if you're missing the cultural context, it's not necessarily as obvious as we might think.

Yeah, it's not to me at all. They all seemed white to me. But then I also don't know what Maori facial features are like.

Anyway, this is pleasantly surprising. Don't think Australia has as many indigenous or even mixed ancestry cricketers? I know Gillespie was one.

 

[Marius]

Yeah, it's not to me at all. They all seemed white to me. But then I also don't know what Maori facial features are like.

Anyway, this is pleasantly surprising. Don't think Australia has as many indigenous or even mixed ancestry cricketers? I know Gillespie was one.

D'Arcy Short is also of indigenous descent I believe and I think I read Scott Boland is too.

 

[StephenZA]

These kinds of things aren't as obvious to outsiders as you would think. Each country has unique racial dynamics which seem self evident but aren't always. I remember someone asked whether Quinton de Kock is mixed race (or 'coloured') and to a South African that's a ridiculous question (he isn't) but to an outsider it may not be that obvious.

Lots of Afrikaners have non-European ancestry and you can sometimes see it in some people.

Here's an interesting article on it: https://theconversation.com/what-ge...e-ancestry-of-south-africas-afrikaners-133242

I recently did one of those DNA tests and should get the results in the next few weeks. I will be very surprised if I have no non-European ancestry.

Should I not mention the pencil test...

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, it's not to me at all. They all seemed white to me. But then I also don't know what Maori facial features are like.

Anyway, this is pleasantly surprising. Don't think Australia has as many indigenous or even mixed ancestry cricketers? I know Gillespie was one.

Dan Christian too, I believe.

Should I not mention the pencil test...

Is that if one's hair will support a pencil? Charming, I'm sure.

 

[StephenZA]

Is that if one's hair will support a pencil? Charming, I'm sure.

Yeah... it was terrible. I would have 'failed' it until I lost all my hair...

 

[Flem274*]

NZ cricket wasn't particularly macho as sporting cultures go

depends how you define it i guess. i grew up in a small town in the 90s so i feel able to comment on small town nz social expectations (which are basically intertwined with sport). guys older than me who played in adult teams then could say a lot more.

openly hostile like america? not verbally to his face but definitely behind his back. potentially physically from the denser ones.

accepting? it's a good thing heath davis grew up in wellington or he never would have played international cricket.

most people would have just said "he's a bit different isn't he?" and avoided one to one conversation. auckland and wellington were always most likely to be more open to someone who didn't conform i think. davis was a gay, out the gate, maori sportsman in an era where it was still acceptable to call the radio complaining the warriors didn't have enough white players. he made his test debut before the warriors existed.

he didn't get pummelled into the dirt but the guy still had to navigate a tough culture.

 

[Uppercut]

depends how you define it i guess. i grew up in a small town in the 90s so i feel able to comment on small town nz social expectations (which are basically intertwined with sport). guys older than me who played in adult teams then could say a lot more.

openly hostile like america? not verbally to his face but definitely behind his back. potentially physically from the denser ones.

accepting? it's a good thing heath davis grew up in wellington or he never would have played international cricket.

most people would have just said "he's a bit different isn't he?" and avoided one to one conversation. auckland and wellington were always most likely to be more open to someone who didn't conform i think. davis was a gay, out the gate, maori sportsman in an era where it was still acceptable to call the radio complaining the warriors didn't have enough white players. he made his test debut before the warriors existed.

he didn't get pummelled into the dirt but the guy still had to navigate a tough culture.

Thanks, this is interesting.

I didn't mean to imply that he had it easy. My frame of reference is what gay (or even falsely rumoured to be gay) English footballers went through around that time, so my standards are very low.

 

[Flem274*]

Thanks, this is interesting.

I didn't mean to imply that he had it easy. My frame of reference is what gay (or even falsely rumoured to be gay) English footballers went through around that time, so my standards are very low.

True. that does not sound fun.

The guys like Binkley who played in adult teams will have better insight. I was a kid (and definitely not in a Wellington-esque environment) so I can only report on what I picked up from observing adults and playing for my school teams.

 

[_Ed_]

Also never knew that he was terrifyingly fast. Only remember him for being smashed around silly by Tendulkar in an ODI in 1997 which ended his career iirc.

Edit: scorecard

Nick Knight might remember him a bit differently:

Cricket: Ashes fear for Knight

New Zealand 153 England 144 New Zealand win by nine runs

www.independent.co.uk

 

[ashley bach]

Really interesting article here, cheers Ed for sharing.
Would be good to see Heath all over again, more professionally managed and at peace with himself.
Wonder what his figures were the day he played on acid.
All the best to him with his new found life, it doesn't feel like he seems sure of it, but hope he can find happiness.

 

[Jayro]

Fast but no balls

 

[Binkley]

Also, as a follow-up, I had a chat to my sister about Heath last night. She was in the same classes as him at school (I was a year older) and she reminded me about what a smiley happy kid he was. And she was right. I think my experiences with him in the nets and on the park obscured that memory a bit and may have clouded the recollections I shared here. He was a great kid at school. Really friendly and smiley. That “difference” and distance was still there, and he was never a great student, but he was a really good sort.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Crikey Binkley. You’re 51? There must be a picture of you decaying in an attic somewhere. Could have sworn you were a decade younger than that.