Alan Smith (cricketer)
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Alan Christopher Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Hall Green, Birmingham, Warwickshire | 25 October 1936||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
International information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National side | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Test debut | 30 November 1962 v Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Last Test | 15 March 1963 v New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 17 November 2022 |
Alan Christopher Smith
He was in the last group of amateurs to play for England, before the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) abolished such a status.[1]
Life and career
Educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Brasenose College, Oxford, Smith scored his maiden first-class century (106, opening the batting) for Oxford University against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in 1958.[2] He won blues 1957–1960, and captained Oxford University 1959–1960. Against Hampshire in 1959, Smith captained Oxford, kept wicket and scored centuries in both innings (145 and 124).[3] Against the Free Foresters in 1960, Charles Fry's deputising as wicket-keeper allowed Smith to bowl himself; having never previously taken more than a single first-class wicket in an innings, he claimed figures of 5–32 and 4–45.[4]
With
He succeeded M. J. K. Smith, to whom he was unrelated, as county captain of Warwickshire in 1965, retaining the post until his retirement at the end of the 1974 season. Against Essex in 1965 he achieved the very rare feat of taking a hat-trick as bowler in a first-class match in which he had been selected as a wicket-keeper.[6] As the West Indian wicket-keeper Deryck Murray played for Warwickshire from 1972 onwards, Smith was seldom required to keep, and was hence able to bowl increasingly regularly towards the end of his career; in 1972 he took 5–47 against Glamorgan[7] and 5–19 in a 40-over match against Northants.[8] On one occasion, Smith was a member of a Warwickshire team which boasted three international wicket-keepers, none of whom were keeping wicket: Deryck Murray was injured, Rohan Kanhai had given up keeping, and Smith had been selected for his bowling, leaving occasional wicket-keeper John Jameson behind the stumps.[9]
After retirement he became a leading figure in the game's organisation including spells as Secretary of Warwickshire County Cricket Club (1976–1986), as an England selector and Chief Executive of the Test and County Cricket Board (1986–1996).[1]
References
- ^ ISBN 1-869833-21-X.
- ^ Oxford University v MCC, 1958
- ^ Hampshire v Oxford University, 1959
- ^ Oxford University v Free Foresters, 1960
- ^ New Zealand v England, 1962/63
- ^ Essex v Warwickshire, 1965
- ^ Warwickshire v Glamorgan, 1972
- ^ Warwickshire v Northamptonshire, 1972
- ^ Australia v England, Champions Trophy SF 2009, Commentary