I always knew I’d be back after career

CHRIS OSTICK

ALEX Davies admits he is glad he suffered what was a career-threatening injury.

And the Lancashire wicketkeeper believes he may not have had the best season of his career – or be heading off on an England Lions tour later this month – if he hadn’t needed crucial surgery on his knee.

Twelve months ago, Davies was just getting back to walking again after the operation, having missed the previous season with the injury.

He admits that before going under the knife, there were concerns he would never play again.

But he has revealed the battle to get back fit – and back out in the middle again – gave him a new focus on the game.

“People talk about injuries being a negative thing, and it sounds weird, but I am really glad the injury happened when it did,” the 23-yearold said. “I feel like I underachieved a little bit in the years before the injury. I wasn’t quite as focussed or producing the volume of runs I wanted.

“Having that injury and missing a full year really does re-focus you and remind you what it is that you want.

“You have to sit on the sidelines for a year watching your mates playing, and you don’t get to. I always believed I would come back and play – and play well. But there was at the back of my mind before I went in for the operation thoughts about whether I was going to play again.

“That was a tricky time, but once you wake up and they say the operation was a success, that triggers something in you.

“It retunes you mentally, to make sure you do all the right things to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Davies worked hard through last winter, not only to get back fit again, but also on the mental