Henry Davids was hailed as a Twenty20 superstar during his time, with his exploits putting South African franchises on the world Twenty20 map.
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Sachin Tendulkar was hailed for his longevity, having retired at the age of 39 after enthralling fans from all corners of the world. However, even the ‘Master Blaster’ would look upon fondly at the exploits of one of his disciples Henry Davids. Davids smashed the second-fastest 50 in the history of the Mzansi Super League (MSL) during the final of the 2019/20 edition, surpassing AB de Villiers on the night. The fact that this milestone was recorded at the age of 39, against a proven bowling attack consisting of Morne Morkel makes it all the more incredible.
Speaking of Morne, there was some special treatment reserved for the pacer. Davids smashed four boundaries in the third over, marking a disastrous start to the spell. The bowler failed to recover from the early hammering at the hands of the veteran, costing his side Tshwane Spartans a key weapon.
Davids finished with 77 runs off 44 deliveries, in an innings comprising of eight boundaries and four sixes. The 41-year-old completed his half-century off 22 balls, eventually helping Paarl Rocks chase down a target of 148 runs inside 15 overs. The Rocks had not recorded a triumph against the Spartans across both editions of the tournament till that date. It seemed set to continue after De Villiers accumulated 51 runs off 37 deliveries. However, Davids had other plans scripting a historic win.
The cricketer is quite humble in nature, which reflects as he discusses the heroics.
“I had a feeling that it would be my day. Just conceded seven runs after opening the bowling which was a good sign. The sole objective was to keep the scoreboard ticking. Worked out beautifully,” he states in an exclusive chat to sportslumo.com.
Davids is a fan of Virender Sehwag. The latter subjected Umar Gul to similar treatment as the one meted out to Morkel, during the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup.
Davids’ journey can be considered the ideal reference point for the script of an underdog Bollywood sports drama, with its fair share of struggle, unbridled passion as well as a turning point.
He grew up in a very small town called Pniel, located in the South African province of Western Cape. The population was just 4,000. However, there was no shortage of enthusiasm when it came to sports.
“Everyone was crazy about sports, as is the case in small communities. That’s where my love developed. Used to play different sports like Rugby and Cricket. However, my love for the latter was special as my Dad also used to play cricket. I had decided from the age of 15, that I wanted to be a professional cricketer. It was also important for me to play an aggressive brand of cricket rather than trying to solely focus on the technique, as that came naturally to me.”
Davids’ father Henry Davids Senior shared a deep love for the game. Such was his love that he would be away for a match on Saturday rather than be constantly by his wife’s side. This cost him an opportunity to witness his son’s birth.
“It was a sign that I would be spending my whole life on the cricket field as well. A person tried to fetch him from the field, but I was already born by the time he reached the hospital. My mother was actually hoping for a girl, as I had an elder brother. I think she is quite happy now that it turned out to be a boy. We shared a laugh about this a couple of days back.”
Davids’ journey as a professional gathered pace after he was selected for the U-17 provincial trials, which was followed by an opportunity in the Country Districts team Boland. The cricketer stood out as an impressive prospect, earning a domestic debut against New Zealand for Boland at the age of 20.
Davids smashed 336 runs in six matches, which included a century and a half-century in his first year. This was followed by a fine second season. The runs were flowing smoothly, and an opportunity with the national team seemed round the corner.
However, as word of his prowess spread, it also brought along the mighty weight of expectations. This resulted in a run drought with the next century not coming until March 2006. Davids attributes this struggle to self-imposed pressure.
“There was a lot of limelight in the media, with headlines labelling me the next big superstar. That resulted in me piling unnecessary pressure rather than trying to focus on smaller goals. Eventually, I decided to simply go out and enjoy my cricket rather than being concerned about expectations. My family provided quality support during this slump. It was a major turning point.”
The runs soon started flowing as Davids hit the straps for Cape Cobras in 2007-08, with a string of consistent scores. His return to form was further backed by the growth of the T20 format, which seemed perfectly suited to the cricketer’s natural game.
“The 2007-08 season was a brilliant one personally. I scored the fastest century ever in South African T20 cricket off 41 balls, against the Warriors. I was among the runs, helping the Cobras qualify for the inaugural season of the Champions League T20 in 2009.”
Davids finished as one of the top run-getters in the 2009 edition of the tournament. The cricketer scored 137 runs, making his presence felt with a 54-ball 69 against Victoria Bushrangers. The batsman grabbed the initiative after the openers were dismissed cheaply, standing out as a reliable campaigner.
The stars were clearly in favour of the cricketer, who followed it up with an extremely successful move to the Titans. Davids linked up with coach Matthew Maynard, with the latter helping him transform to the next level as a T20 campaigner.
“Maynard urges you to play your natural game, with his man-management second to none. It was lovely working with him.”
The results were evident on the pitch, as Davids soon transformed from an aggressive campaigner who could get dismissed early, into one who was patient enough to see the game through. The cricketer surged to another level of consistency in the 2012-13 edition of the Champions League T20, smashing 162 runs in 5 matches at a strike rate of 142.10. Davids finished as the leading run-scorer for the Titans.
He maintained the same consistency in the 2013/14 edition of the T20 league, accumulating 197 runs in four games at a strike rate of 142.75. Davids recorded two half-centuries against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) during the course of the season.
“It was a great opportunity to play in front of the Indian fans. Scoring that 50 against MS Dhoni’s CSK is something I would indeed love to remember.”
Davids continued to leave his mark in the world of cricket, eventually bowing out of the game at the age of 41, having accumulated 17,342 runs in 524 games across formats. This includes two appearances for the South African team in the ODI format and nine T20I matches.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to represent the nation. Felt very emotional after being informed about my selection in the South African team. Could never have imagined playing the game for 21 years and getting an opportunity to lead the Titans.”
Davids would have loved to play his final game in front of a packed crowd but was denied an opportunity to do so because of COVID.
“Some things are not meant to be. Came close to playing in the IPL, following some interest from Rajasthan Royals (RR) and CSK. Not the end of the world though.”
The veteran is the ultimate role model for those youngsters looking to make a career in the game. Davids was a match-winner with his big-hitting, effective bowling performances and sublime fielding.
“I had to sacrifice a lot, but it was all worth it in the long run. My advice for all emerging players is to never be afraid of making mistakes. However, one should always try to learn from them. I will give you an example. I was carried off the field at the age of 7, after being hit by a short ball. That instilled a desire to never let anyone strike me on the helmet again, resulting in my powerful hook shot,” he says with a smile.
“On a serious note, don’t change your natural style even if criticised. I trusted my gameplay through thick and thin, despite being encouraged to play defensive strokes. That helped me achieve success. Coaches should also try to give players the freedom to develop as individuals, rather than trying to micro-manage. Try to evolve as much as possible in a dynamic game like cricket,” concludes Davids with a flourish.
