Tribute to a Maverick

John Davison's Last Fling?

The joy of sites like Orato.com is that one can throw a bit of limelight on overlooked but deserving characters. The world of cricket has been scandalized by the murky tragedy of Bob Woolmer's apparent murder. Lost in all of this is the John Davison story, a brighter side of the current World Cup.

Thursday saw the likely end of the career of the best cricketer ever to play for Canada. John Davison went down guns, and gums, blazing as Canada lost, comprehensively, to New Zealand. Davison has been the single reason why Canada has emerged from its two World Cup adventures with pride justifiably intact.

The world needs fearless mavericks like John Davison. Born in Campbell River British Columbia 36 years ago while his mum and dad were on a teachers exchange, Davison left for Oz, a babe in arms. He attended the prestigious Australian Cricket Academy but wasn't able to crack the top level in that extremely competitive environment. The Australian national team is like a Panzer Division, all pistons and grim efficency, whereas the last person to play like Davison in the Caribbean was Johnny Depp, slashing and burning his way through allcomers.

Without Davison and his fellow fly-ins, Kiwis Geoff Barnett and Ian Billcliff, Canada's showing would have been pretty dismal. They accounted for more than 40 percent of the runs scored by Canada.The team is a hybrid of foreign players either born in Canada or parented by a Canadian; and club players born and raised in cricket playing nations. It was a triumph of administrative dickering by Canadian officials with the financial backing of the expansionist International Cricket Conference to field a decent team at all; but the success of the antipodean ringers masks deep flaws in the team.

Most of the Canadian-based players are too old to keep going. Only Ashish Bagai, Asif Mulla, Sunil Dhaniram and Anderson Cummins produced moments of first class cricket. At moments some of the others, especially in their fielding and bowling, resembled weekend stoners at Eglinton Flats. "Canada's domestic league needs to be semi-professional at least, if not professional if you have to compete at this level," Davison said in the aftermath of the country's elimination from the World Cup.

But Thursday Davison went down fighting-for who? For his wallet?. No. He'll get paid a pittance compared to his ex Academy mates in the Australian National team. For Canada? I doubt it.

Davison happily confessed his understandable ignorance of Canadiana. No. Davison did it for himself and for all of those who play games too recklessly and joyously to be groomed for the metronomic marketing business that is much of top level sport. He hooked and slashed his way to 52 in 23 balls, the third-fastest in World Cups. He is the only player to score two fifties in 25 or fewer balls in World Cup games. Last World Cup he scored the fastest century in its history, and hit one of the hugest sixes ever. He also bowled his slithering offspinners as meanly as a Footscray loanshark, and captained cleverly, with his sweat-stained Canada cap and tacky Dubai wraparounds. On Thursday he hit Kiwi quickie Mike Mason for four consecutive fours, shots struck "like tracer bullets" according to commentator Mike Atherton. He was also bowled taking a piratical swish, but it was a No Ball. Davison's larcenous grin said it all. To the Brave, Good Fortune. He had taken his shots and notched a bit of cricketing immortality.

Good on 'im. I'll buy him a beer anytime. One. And if the other 15 Canadians who love this game do the same he might have another go in 2010. If he retires then...thanks for the ride Davo. I'm nominating you for the Order of Canada.