Heath Davis becomes first current or former New Zealand men’s cricketer to come out as gay – صحيفة الصوت

Three decades after his Test debut, Heath Davis has become the first male New Zealand international cricketer to come out as gay.

Davis played five Tests and 11 One Day Internationals (ODIs) for the Black Caps, and had a lengthy first-class career in domestic cricket as a fiery pace bowler.

Speaking to the Spinoff and Dominion Post, Davis described a “lonely” experience in the game, leaving his teammates on nights out.

Davis said moving cricket clubs from Wellington to Auckland provided a freer experience.

“Everyone in Auckland knew I was gay, in the team, but it didn’t seem to be that big an issue,” he said.

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“If you’re sharing a room with them or something, [maybe not]. On the field it was all good.”

Davis, now 50, lives in Brisbane.

He is one of a very few men’s international cricketers to come out as LGBTQI+, after English wicketkeeper Steven Davies did so in 2011.