Bill Smith (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
William 'Bill' Albert Smith (born 15 September 1937) is a former English
cricket
er. Smith was a left-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace
. He was born at Salisbury
, Wiltshire
.
Smith made his first-class
debut for Surrey
against Oxford University
in 1961. His second first-class appearance against Somerset
in 1962 brought about his debut in the County Championship
. From 1961 to 1970, he represented Surrey in 144 first-class matches, the last of which came against Leicestershire
in 1970. In his 144 first-class matches, he scored 5,042 runs at a batting average
of 22.42, with 23 half centuries and 2 centuries
. His highest score was 103. In the field he took 51 catches. Smith also made his debut in List A cricket for Surrey. His debut List A match came against Gloucestershire
in the 1964 Gillette Cup
. From 1964 to 1970, he represented the county in 22 List A matches, the last of which came against Glamorgan
in the 1970 John Player League
.
Smith joined Wiltshire
in 1971, making his Minor Counties Championship debut for the county against Dorset
. From 1971 to 1976, he represented the county in 26 Minor Counties Championship matches, the last of which came against the Somerset Second XI
. He also represented Wiltshire in a 2 List A matches, both of which came against Hampshire
in the 1972
and 1973 Gillette Cup
's.
Smith also represented Minor Counties South in 4 List A matches against Somerset, Glamorgan, Hampshire and Gloucestershire in the 1972 Benson and Hedges Cup. In his 28 career List A matches, he scored 453 runs at an average of 19.69, with 2 half centuries and a high score of 64, while in the field he took 9 catches.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. Smith was a left-handed batsman who bowled right-arm medium pace
Seam bowling
Seam bowling is a phrase used for a bowling technique in cricket whereby the ball is deliberately bowled on to its seam, to cause a random deviation. Practitioners are known as seam bowlers or seamers....
. He was born at Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
Smith made his first-class
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
debut for Surrey
Surrey County Cricket Club
Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions...
against Oxford University
Oxford University Cricket Club
Oxford University Cricket Club is a first-class cricket team, representing the University of Oxford. It plays its home games at the University Parks in Oxford, England...
in 1961. His second first-class appearance against Somerset
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
in 1962 brought about his debut in the County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
. From 1961 to 1970, he represented Surrey in 144 first-class matches, the last of which came against Leicestershire
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Leicestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland....
in 1970. In his 144 first-class matches, he scored 5,042 runs at a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of 22.42, with 23 half centuries and 2 centuries
Century (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, a batsman reaches his century when he scores 100 or more runs in a single innings. The term is also included in "century partnership" which occurs when two batsmen add 100 runs to the team total when they are batting together. A century is regarded as a landmark score for...
. His highest score was 103. In the field he took 51 catches. Smith also made his debut in List A cricket for Surrey. His debut List A match came against Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
in the 1964 Gillette Cup
1964 Gillette Cup
-Second round:-----------------------------Quarter-finals:-------------Semi-finals:-----Final:-External links:* from CricketArchive...
. From 1964 to 1970, he represented the county in 22 List A matches, the last of which came against Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
in the 1970 John Player League
1970 John Player League
The 1970 John Player League was the second competing of what was generally known as the Sunday League. The competition was won for the second consecutive year by Lancashire County Cricket Club.-Standings:-Batting averages:-Bowling averages:...
.
Smith joined Wiltshire
Wiltshire County Cricket Club
Wiltshire County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Wiltshire and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy....
in 1971, making his Minor Counties Championship debut for the county against Dorset
Dorset County Cricket Club
Dorset County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Dorset and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
. From 1971 to 1976, he represented the county in 26 Minor Counties Championship matches, the last of which came against the Somerset Second XI
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
. He also represented Wiltshire in a 2 List A matches, both of which came against Hampshire
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
in the 1972
1972 Gillette Cup
The 1972 Gillette Cup was the tenth Gillette Cup, an English limited overs county cricket tournament. It was held between 5 July and 2 September 1972...
and 1973 Gillette Cup
1973 Gillette Cup
The 1973 Gillette Cup was the eleventh Gillette Cup, an English limited overs county cricket tournament. It was held between 30 June and 1 September 1973...
's.
Smith also represented Minor Counties South in 4 List A matches against Somerset, Glamorgan, Hampshire and Gloucestershire in the 1972 Benson and Hedges Cup. In his 28 career List A matches, he scored 453 runs at an average of 19.69, with 2 half centuries and a high score of 64, while in the field he took 9 catches.
Family
His son Andrew also played first-class and List A cricket for Surrey.External links
- Bill Smith at CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...
- Bill Smith at CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...