Jonas Davis

Jonas "Joe" Davis (12 May 1859 – 18 May 1911) was an Australian cricketer.[1]

Jonas Davis

Personal information
Born	(1859-05-12)12 May 1859 Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia
Died	18 May 1911(1911-05-18) (aged 52) Waverley, New South Wales, Australia
Role	Batsman, occasional wicket-keeper
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1879/80–1893/94	New South Wales
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 20 Runs scored 643 Batting average 24.73 100s/50s 0/3 Top score 85 Catches/stumpings 9/2
Source: Cricinfo, 26 December 2016

Davis played for the New South Wales XV against the Australians in 1878-79 and scored 32 in an innings victory for the New South Wales team,[2] the Sydney Morning Herald recording that Davis "proved that the confidence placed in his powers as a batsman was justified".[3] He subsequently played twenty first-class matches for New South Wales between 1879–80 and 1893–94.[4]

A batsman and occasional wicket-keeper, Joe Davis' highest first-class score was for New South Wales against Ivo Bligh's XI in 1882–83, when, opening the batting, he scored 85 in the second innings out of a team total of 165.[5] He dropped out of the New South Wales team for interstate matches after the 1887–88 season, but he returned to captain the team on tours of New Zealand, in 1889-90[6] and 1893-94,[7] both tours having been organised and managed by Davis' older brother, Coleman.[8][9]

Davis was a jeweller.[10] He married Phoebe Davis in Sydney in February 1885.[11]

He collapsed while playing bowls in May 1911 and died at home early the next morning, aged 52. He left a widow, a son and three daughters.[12] He was buried in the Jewish section of Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney.[13] He is sometimes called "Jonas J. Davis",[4][1] but his probate notice refers to him as "JONAS DAVIS commonly known as Joseph Davis".[14]