Denis Smith (English cricketer)

Not to be confused with Denis Smith (West Indian cricketer), Dennis Smith (New Zealand cricketer), or Dennis Smith (South African cricketer).

Denis Smith

Personal information
Full name	Denis Smith
Born	(1907-01-24)24 January 1907 Somercotes, Derbyshire, England
Died	12 September 1979(1979-09-12) (aged 72) Derby, England
Batting	Left-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Batsman
International information
National side	England
Test debut	13 July 1935 v South Africa
Last Test	27 July 1935 v South Africa
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1927–1952	Derbyshire
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 2 443 Runs scored 128 21,843 Batting average 32.00 31.65 100s/50s 0/1 32/116 Top score 57 225 Balls bowled – 1,516 Wickets – 20 Bowling average – 36.70 5 wickets in innings – 1 10 wickets in match – 0 Best bowling – 5/37 Catches/stumpings 1/– 382/5
Source: CricketArchive, 19 April 2010

Denis Smith (24 January 1907 – 12 September 1979) was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1927 and 1952 and in two Test matches for England in 1935. He scored more than 21,000 runs in first-class cricket.

Smith was born in Somercotes, Derbyshire on 24 January 1907. He made his debut for Derbyshire in June 1927 against Somerset, when he was out for a duck in the only innings he played and was given a chance to bowl just 10 balls.

A tall left-handed opening batsman who played his strokes, and occasional right-arm medium pace bowler, Smith was the mainstay of Derbyshire's batting line-up during the 1930s, the most successful period in the county's history. Derbyshire came second in the Championship in 1935 and won it in 1936.

Smith played two Test matches against the South Africans in 1935, and took part in the Marylebone Cricket Club cricket team in Australia in 1935–36 (where no tests were played). and did well enough to be considered unlucky not to play more.

Smith played regularly for Derbyshire until 1951, acting as wicket-keeper in 1946 and 1947. In 1952 he became county coach. His career aggregate of runs and his 30 centuries for the county were both Derbyshire records until beaten by Kim Barnett in the 1990s.

Smith was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1936.

Smith died in Derby at the age of 72.

References

• Preston, Norman, ed. (1980). "Obituary, 1979: Smith, Denis". Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 1980 (117th ed.). London: Queen Anne Press, Macdonald and Jane's Publishing Group Limited. pp. 1156–1158. ISBN 0362-02002-7.