Chris Smith (cricketer, born 1958)

English cricketer (born 1958)

Chris Smith

Personal information

Full name|

Christopher Lyall Smith

Born|  (1958-10-15) 15 October 1958 (age 66)
Durban, Natal, South Africa
Nickname| Kippy
Batting| Right-handed
Bowling| Right arm off-break
Relations| Robin Smith (brother)
International information
National side|

* England

Test debut (cap 503)| 11 August 1983 v New Zealand
Last Test| 19 June 1986 v India
ODI debut (cap 72)| 18 February 1984 v New Zealand
Last ODI| 26 March 1984 v Pakistan
Domestic team information
Years| Team
1977/78–1982/83| Natal
1979| Glamorgan
1980–1991| Hampshire
Career statistics
| Competition | Test | ODI | FC | LA

|
|
|
|

Matches | 8 | 4 | 269 | 214
Runs scored | 392 | 109 | 18,028 | 6,700
Batting average | 30.15 | 27.25 | 44.40 | 42.40
100s/50s | 0/2 | 0/1 | 47/88 | 11/42
Top score | 91 | 70 | 217 | 159
Balls bowled | 17 | 17 | 4,457 | 171
Wickets | 3 | 2 | 50 | 10
Bowling average | 13.00 | 14.00 | 53.70 | 11.40
5 wickets in innings | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0
10 wickets in match | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0
Best bowling | 2/31 | 2/8 | 5/69 | 3/32
Catches/stumpings | 5/– | 0/– | 176/– | 39/–

Source: CricketArchive, 18 December 2008

Christopher Lyall Smith (born 15 October 1958) is a former cricketer for Hampshire and England. He also played one match for Glamorgan in 1979, while playing in the South Wales League, and in South Africa he played for Natal B (then a first-class team).

## Life and career

[edit]

Born on 15 October 1958 in Durban, South Africa,[1] Smith was unable to play Test cricket for South Africa due to their exclusion from international sport because of the apartheid regime, but played for England through his parents' nationality. Ironically his opportunity was assisted by the fact that a number of alternative England opening batsmen such as Graham Gooch and Wayne Larkins were banned from international cricket after participating in a rebel tour of South Africa in 1982. However, Smith played only eight Test matches, never establishing himself in the side.

Smith had the misfortune to be dismissed first ball by Richard Hadlee on Test debut at Lord's in 1983 (although he made 43 in the second innings as England won the match),[2] but was selected the next winter for the tour to New Zealand and Pakistan.[3] There he made some useful contributions, including a score of 91 in Auckland.[4] Smith also played four one-day internationals in 1984 with a highest score of 70.[5] Smith was also an occasional off-spin bowler who took five cheap international wickets, including figures of 2–8 in a one-day international against Pakistan.[6] After he toured Sri Lanka with an England 'B' side in 1986,[7] his last Test came in 1986 at Leeds against India as an injury replacement for David Gower.[8] He was dropped when Gower was fit again.

Smith was much more successful for Hampshire, enjoying a successful career with that county, scoring more than 40 first-class hundreds and helping them to win the 1988 Benson & Hedges Cup,[9] and the 1991 NatWest Trophy (though missing the final of the latter). He was one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1984.

After he retired from first-class cricket, he settled in Western Australia, and became marketing manager of the Western Australian Cricket Association.[3]

Chris Smith is the older brother of fellow Hampshire and England Test player Robin Smith.[3] His brother made his England debut at Leeds, two years after Smith had played his last Test on the same ground, and went onto a more extensive international career.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Player profile: Chris Smith". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
2. ^ "Full Scorecard of England v New Zealand 3rd Test 1983". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
3. ^ a b c Bateman, Colin (1993). If The Cap Fits. Tony Williams Publications. p. 149. ISBN 1-869833-21-X.
4. ^ "Full Scorecard of New Zealand v England 3rd Test 1983-4". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
5. ^ "Full Scorecard of New Zealand v England 2nd ODI 1983-4". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
6. ^ "Full Scorecard of Pakistan v England 2nd ODI 1983-4". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
7. ^ "England 'B' in Sri Lanka, Jan/Feb 1986". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
8. ^ "Full Scorecard of India v England 2nd Test 1986". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
9. ^ "Derbyshire v Hampshire at Lord's, 9 July 1988". ESPNCricinfo. Retrieved 2 July 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Chris Smith at ESPNcricinfo

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

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