Not so long ago, Ollie Davies was back playing grade cricket for Manly, wondering whether a change of scenery might be the answer to his cricketing woes.

Fast forward a matter of months, and the right-hander has produced one of the great modern-day Sheffield Shield knocks, blasting an eye-watering 253 off just 225 balls in his first-ever Shield innings as an opener.

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It was a stunning vindication of new Blues coach Brad Haddin’s bold call to move Davies up the order after a torrid 12-month stretch that saw the explosive right-hander dropped from both New South Wales’ red-ball and one-day sides.

But as Davies revealed on Fox Cricket’s Domesticated vodcast, the move almost never happened, with the batter initially unconvinced by Haddin’s left-field proposal.

“For me, I spoke to him (Haddin) early in the season and saw on a team list for one of the trial games that I was opening. I was like: ‘Oh, that’s a bit weird, I don’t usually do that — I’m happy to bat five or six’,” Davies began.

“Then, I played one of the trial games and nicked off for a third-ball duck. I had a long chat with Brad after that innings, and said: ‘I’m not sure if this is for me’. He basically said: ‘Just give it a crack. We’ve been thinking about it for a while, and we think it could suit you.’

“Next innings, I went out and batted and got 140 not out. He was just like: ‘Yep, I think that will suit you nicely!’

“It just progressed from there, and I kept opening the batting in all the trial games. I scored a couple of runs here and there, and just stuck with it. It’s definitely not something I thought I would’ve done — opening in a Shield game — but I’m stoked for the opportunity and to be back in the Blues set-up playing games.”

Davies’ innings was as destructive as they come in modern-day domestic cricket. After the Blues bowled Tasmania out for 245 early on day two, a very green Cricket Central pitch was beginning to flatten out, setting the stage for the right-hander’s extraordinary assault.

With 38 fours and four sixes, Davies registered the fastest double-century recorded in Sheffield Shield history, while ending a 964-day wait for a double hundred in Australia’s four-day first-class format.

“It was pretty surreal. It was my first time opening in Sheffield Shield and second time ever in red-ball cricket, so I wasn’t sure how I wanted to go about it,” Davies said.

“I’m naturally a pretty aggressive player that likes to move the game forward. Part of me was like: ‘I’ll have a look for 20-30 balls and get into my innings’.

“But, after facing the first over, I was like: ‘The field’s up, I’m just going to try and pile in and get as many as I can, as quick as I can!’”

Davies snaps NSW drought with 253 | 07:40

Davies celebrates his incredible double ton at Cricket Central in Sydney, New South Wales.Source: Getty Images

But while Davies made batting look remarkably easy against Tasmania, the road back to the New South Wales side had been anything but.

Less than a year earlier, the talented right-hander found himself at one of the lowest points of his young career, dropped from both state sides and struggling to rediscover the enjoyment that had long accompanied his talent.

A return of 123 runs at an average of just 13.66 saw the 26-year-old dropped after five Shield games, while his spot in the 50-over side lasted just two matches.

“I’m not going to lie, it was probably a pretty dark time. All through my junior cricket, and even the start of my professional career, I’ve always scored runs … if I had a couple of bad games, I’d always bounce back,” Davies said.

“I had a shocking start to the year, got dropped from the one-day team after the second game. Then, five games into the year I got dropped from the Shield team. I knew it was coming as well.

“I played a game against Tasmania at Cricket Central last year, and I got out for a duck (first innings), then fielded 150 overs in the dirt, and then nicked off for five. I was walking off the field and I knew my fate.

Davies walks off in what ended up being his final Shield innings for the 2025/26 season — caught behind off the bowling of Jackson Bird (right) for two.Source: Getty Images

“It was pretty depressing in that sense. I wasn’t really enjoying cricket; I just felt a lot of pressure. I went back to grade cricket for Manly after that for the back end of the season, and was playing with some of my good mates again. I was just absolutely loving it again — there was no pressure to score runs, and it kind of allowed me to score runs.

“I found a bit of love for cricket again; playing on a Saturday and then going out for a couple of beers with some of the lads afterwards. It was definitely an interesting six to 12 months. I didn’t play much Big Bash for the Thunder either — I played one game for them.

Ironically, it was Ollie’s omission that opened the door for younger brother Joel to make his long-awaited Sheffield Shield debut for New South Wales last December, providing a bittersweet family subplot to an otherwise difficult period.

It meant that while Davies was rediscovering his love for cricket away from the professional spotlight, his younger brother’s contrasting fortunes created an unusual dynamic between the two “best mates”.

“He basically came in and took my spot. When that happened, he just went straight through the roof and playing T20 cricket for Australia recently, and I was back playing grade cricket for Manly,” Davies explained.

“While he’s my brother and my best mate, he probably wasn’t the best person to lean on because we were going in completely opposite directions. My Dad as well (I leant on); he’s always there to have a chat. Nothing’s ever too serious … he just loves watching me play cricket. He doesn’t care if I’m scoring runs, he just wants me to be happy and enjoy my cricket.

“My Dad and Nick Larkin (former NSW Cricket batting lead) were the two big ones for me.”

Joel Davies (left) after being presented his debut cap by Ollie on his Sheffield Shield debut against Queensland at the SCG, on December 5, 2025.Source: Getty Images

Amid the tough patch, Davies also found himself contemplating a move away from New South Wales, despite the state’s desire to retain him.

“I had a conversation with Greg Mail (NSW Chief Performance Officer) … after I got dropped from the Shield team, we had a chat. He said: ‘We want to sign you for another few years, and we want you to stay in Sydney’,” Davies added.

“I had some interest shown from other Big Bash teams … he (Mail) shot me a text after the game the other day saying ‘congratulations on the runs’, and I just texted back saying: ‘Thanks so much for backing me in and having faith in me’.

“I love New South Wales, and I love living in Curl Curl on the northern beaches. I’d never really want to move, but it definitely was something, because everyone else was excelling and I was just going downhill. I was like: ‘Maybe a change of scenery could be good for me’, but I think with Brad Haddin and some of the new coaching staff this year, it’s given me a fresh start. Something I needed personally.”

To watch Ollie Davies’ full chat on Fox Cricket’s Domesticated, click here!