By Ron Fanfair
The retirement of John Davison and the exclusion of Ian Billcliff from the national World Cup squad mark the end of an era in Canadian cricket.
Though residents of Australia and New Zealand respectively, the British Columbia-born players were integral parts of the national side making important contributions when called upon.
Davison, Canada’s most productive player in the first half of the past decade, announced his retirement from first-class cricket prior to Canada’s World Cup match against Australia.
“He brought credibility when he came to Canadian cricket,” said former Cricket Canada High Performance Manager Ron Aldridge. “He was outspoken which was O.K. and he was also a positive influence.”
He represented Canada in 51 first-class matches, scoring 1177 runs (av. 16.57) and taking 111 wickets (av. 45.61).
The oldest player in the World Cup at age 40, Davison was introduced to Canadian cricket in 1999 by former Toronto Cricket Club player Andrew Bracht who was visiting Australia. They met at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
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