Tuesday 13th January Darren Davies still thinks he was probably better at cricket than softball. That's an interesting comment from the PCU Devils club stalwart who has been a long-time Canterbury Red Sox representative (though sometimes sidelined with business commitments), and had two stints in the New Zealand Black Sox. A late softball entrant, Davies played under-age cricket for Canterbury, including the under-14s with second cousin and future Black Cap Nathan Astle.
``Softball was just something to do on a Saturday morning really, but I thought I was going to be a cricket player. Funny how things turn out...'' As Davies has related previously, the now perennial first baseman and leadoff hitter batted at nine and was put out at right field when he first played softball in the under-19s. He returned to his first sporting passion six years ago when the then Christchurch United did not field a premier team, playing the 2002-03 senior suburban cricket season with Harewood as a left-handed opening bat. ``So they must have thought I was OK I guess, or just a really slow scorer,'' he joked. ``I love playing cricket. I don't know if I'd ever go back to it again,'' said the 37-year-old. ``Maybe something like bowls in the future.'' For all those musings about his potential talent as a cricketer, Davies says he has no regrets about making softball his sport. He has won national titles with both his provincial and club teams. ``It was good to come back to softball (after the season with Harewood). I did miss being away from the guys I'd played softball with for 10 or 12 years, from that softball environment.'' Softball has taken him to the United States for around eight seasons and he played in the Netherlands a few years ago. One of the US teams he played for, the FedLock Falcons, was managed and sponsored by Mike Groves, co-owner of Federal Lock and Safe from Washington, DC. A self-employed consultant, Davies had a two-month delayed start to the current softball season because of work commitments in the United States. ``We're a new company off that (FedLock).'' He played for high-powered New York team Patsy's in the 2008 ISC world fastball tournament alongside Red Sox team-mates like internationals Travis Wilson and Daniel Milne, though as a ``sort of a late addition'' did not get much game time.
``It was impressive just to be part of that team and I think we'll do better next year (2009).'' First picked for the Black Sox for a three-week tour of North America in 2002, Davies was hugely surprised to be recalled for the four-test home series against Samoa in December 2005. ``It was good to be part of it. I feel comfortable in the team. You know being around those players certainly helps you to raise your own game. But I just think my time was five years ago, not now.'' So he does not believe he is anywhere in the frame for the 2009 men's world series in Saskatoon, Canada. ``I have no problem with that at all.'' But Davies did make himself available for the Canterbury Red Sox in the national league campaign beginning in North Harbour on January 17-18 and continuing in Christchurch on January 31-February 1. ``If I can help them get better results then maybe we'll get three or four guys picked for the world series.'' In the 11 previous world series only six Canterbury-based players in total have made the final cut, including a high of two in both 1984 (Ray Marsh and Jimmy Hall) and 2000 (Marty Grant and Greg Newton). Davies hit .500 for Canterbury in the South Island Jefferies Cup provincial tournament just before Christmas with one homer, a triple and two doubles, and is feeling good leading into the league series. ``The body's fine. I mean I had a good rest while in the States _ at the gym, did all the good stuff, enjoyed the summer there.'' Davies said he might come back fit and fresh again next year after the short season with Patsy's and play another domestic softball season, but there was ``no way, no way'' he wanted to emulate PCU Devils team-mate and onetime Canterbury captain, Murray Lanini, still playing premiers at around 48. ``He certainly wants to play til he's 50. I don't know that he's ever going to actually own up to being 50, so this could go on for quite a while.'' More seriously, he said that Lanini belied his age both on the training field and the game field. ``It's pretty inspiring really. We give him a hard time, but he doesn't let himself down in any way at all.'' While agreeing it seemed unfair that cricketers were millionaires and softballers relative paupers, Davies said the situation was never going to change and top softballers never really thought about it. ``There are some things you just don't do for the money, you know. It's a shame, but I think people play softball because they love it.''
He was adamant that softballers like the lengendary Mark Sorenson and several current Black Sox players with all their natural ability ``would have been great at whatever sport they chose to play.'' | 
