Ian Davis - Penrith Cricket Club

Penrith Cricket Club | January 12, 2026

Ian Davis, a right-hand top order batsman, came to Penrith in season 1980/81 as a former international.

Team-mates called Davis ‘Wizard’ after the comic strip character the Wizard of Id, a play on Davis's initials. He was indeed a somewhat mercurial figure, as many who were on the end of a telephone and heard his famous 'I’ll get back to you' will testify.

Wizard played 15 tests for Australia (692 runs @ 26.61) and did his best work as an opener. His highest score was 105 against Pakistan at Adelaide. He played in the Centenary Test against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in March 1977, during which his 68 consolidated Australia’s position in a wobbly match. After this, he switched to World Series Cricket.

When Wizard arrived at Penrith, he was still a NSW Shield player, having also played for Queensland. For NSW (2421 runs @ 34.58), his highest score was 156 against South Australia.

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Wizard's NSW Sheffield Shield commitments restricted his Penrith appearances (eight matches in 1980/81; nine in 1981/82). But in 1982/83, when his first-class career was winding down, Wizard captained Penrith Firsts to the Minor Premiership and Premiership. During that season, he scored 659 runs @ 38.76, including 179 v University of NSW (Club Record High Score at the time), 124 v Cumberland and 74* v Waverley. In his time with Penrith, he scored 1372 runs @ 41.57 and, with Graeme Beard, he set a Club Record Third Wicket Partnership of 166 v Manly.

Wizard also played for five other clubs besides Penrith.

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