A most promising right arm fast medium bowler, Mark Davies, was born in Stockton-on-Tees on October 4, 1980. Davies played for England Under-19s and made his First-Class debut for Durham in 2002, earning his County cap in 2005. His missed an entire season due to injury and on his return to the game in 2007 was co-opted into the Nottinghamshire team under the ‘loan’ system. Davies had an outstanding debut, taking seven for 59 v Northants at Trent Bridge in late August – he also scored 35 not out, the second highest score in the Notts innings. This proved to be his only Notts appearance.
He returned to his home county but injury - and the competition from Steve Harmison - meant he was unable to command a regular place in the side.
Davies did not play for England again but came close in 2009 when he was drafted into the England Test Squad touring South Africa as cover for James Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom, each of them being injury doubts for the first Test. In the event, Davies - who was with the English Performance Squad that was also in South Africa at that time - was not called upon and his chance of further representative honours was gone.
He left Durham to join Kent in 2012 but further injury forced his retirement from cricket in 2014.
December 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 594