Monday 28 February 2011

Steven Davies

I've made clear my admiration for Surrey's young wicket-keeper batsman over the last 12 months, he's performed some stunning feats for us and is an absolute pleasure to watch in full flight.  However his interview in the Telegraph this morning where he came out has really kicked that admiration up a notch.

It takes untold courage to come out, friends of mine who have done so have spoken of the internal anguish they experience and the very real awkwardness that bottling such things up can cause - clearly Steve Davies has been going through exactly the same.

I am immensely proud that a cricketer of such character and ability is playing for Surrey, I can't wait to see him walk out in that first match this season and I am quite sure that all Surrey fans will give him the best of receptions.  It goes without saying that he can count on the unqualified support of the fans and if there are any that are daft enough to say anything out of turn, I imagine they will be swiftly dealt with by the club.

Best of luck to him in the coming season, I hope he's back in the papers plenty for his runs and back in the England side before long, as his talent deserves.

12 comments:

Emrys said...

It's good to know that we now inhabit a world where someone in the public domain can come out and it be received fairly positively. As Steve himself said the way was paved by Gareth Thomas.
I hope that Davies goes on to fulfill his potential as a cricketer. This brave move can only help to break down walls and taboo's that continue to exist in the sporting world. Hopefully making the passage into the sporting arena more accessible to more gay people in the future.

Good luck for the coming season Steve.

GreenJJ said...

I hope so, he's an ideal role model for all kinds of reasons. Gareth Thomas blazed a trail and I hope more and more sportsmen (and women) feel able to be themselves now.

Anonymous said...

Thank you Steven. It cannot have been easy to come out to your team mates in such a close nit community. But you have shown that it is possible. You are a role model and I hope it inspires your sporting fraternity and the wider community.

GreenJJ said...

Here here, well said.

Anonymous said...

Well done Steven!I'm a gay old man, when I was your age, homosexuality was illegal. The government, police,press and the general public seemed to hate us for this victimless "crime".
Hopefully, for you and your generation there is a better future. Your decision is good for you, and due to your high profile, you will give confidence to thousands of other young gay men. Thank you and Very Best Wishes.

Anonymous said...

I admire and respect Steven enormously.
Best warmest wishes to him.

Tim V said...

A very brave action. It's amazing how few openly gay professional sportspeople there are.

He is open to more sledging but as a keeper he is in a great position to retort if he chooses to.

As Steven Fry said, "No big deal yet of course a huge deal."

Supportive of Dulwich said...

Just voicing more support really. Well done Steven, it's a brave thing you've done and although I'd have hoped it would be the case, it's great to see the mature reaction from the sporting world.

GreenJJ said...

Great to see the level of support for Steven, I hope that will be replicated wherever we play.

Chappers said...

Can we go back to talking about what a talented batsman keeper Steve Davies is now - and perhaps even what the odds are to RHB grinding out a 5 hour 89 off 206 balls preferable to win a championship match!! Yes I would pay money to see that.

More seriously I think this will make it easier for him and he wont have the threat of a kiss and tell from a tabloid hanging over him as has happend to several others in other walks of life

Now back to RHB... Block and Leave and block and nudge for one...!!! Is it nearly the cricket season yet? Please say it is!!!

GreenJJ said...

Not long to wait now!

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Schedule said...

A veteran of 50 Tests, the former English Captain, Mike Smith at Brisbane in the first Test between Australia and India in 1991-92 became the first match referee ever in Tests.

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