Aussie cricket mourning deaths

The tributes have began to flow for the passing of former Australian cricketers Ashley Mallett and Alan Davidson.

Mallett passed away aged 76 after a long battle with cancer.

Spinner, Mallett played 38 Test matches and nine One Day Internationals in a career for Australia which spanned 12 years, taking 132 wickets with his rangy off-spin and 30 catches highlighting his outstanding gully fielding.

He holds the best figures for a finger spinner in Australia with 8-59 against Pakistan in Adelaide in 1972, but it was his efforts in India which were heralded as his greatest.

Meanwhile, Davidson aged 92 died peacefully on Saturday morning surrounded by his family.

Davidson made his First-Class debut for NSW during the 1949-50 season and his Test debut on the 1953 Ashes tour. He went on to play 44 Tests, taking 186 wickets at 20.53 with best figures of 7/93 and scored 1328 runs at 24.5, with a top score of 80.

IMAGE: FILE