John Smith (Derbyshire cricketer)
Encyclopedia
John Smith was an English
cricket
er who played for Derbyshire
from 1871 to 1878. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871.
Smith was born in Clifton, Derby
and was a solicitor by profession. From 1865 he was playing cricket regularly for Gentlemen of Derbyshire and South Derbyshire. Smith debuted for Derbyshire in the 1871 season
in their first match against Lancashire
. He was one of five round-arm bowlers of Derbyshire's debut season (the others being James Billyeald
, Dove Gregory
, William Hickton
, John Platts
, and John Tilson
. Smith played one first class match in the 1872 season
and also played against the Prince's Club. He played no first-class matches in the 1873 season
but took part in a miscallaneous game against Nottinghamshire. He made his first real breakthrough playing three of four matches in Derbyshire's undefeated 1874 season
. As a lower-order batsman, he was not out for 15 against Sandy Watson
, who took nine-wickets for Lancashire in a game which Derbyshire still won. Smith played in five of Derbyshire's seven matches in the 1875 season
. He played three matches in the 1876 season
and seven in the 1877 season
. In his last season for Derbyshire in 1878
, he played two first class matches, his last against an All England XI. He also played two matches for Derbyshire against school teams. In 1879 he played for Gentlemen of Derbyshire against a team of Canadian expatriates, including Walter Wright and Thomas Phillips.
Smith was a right-handed batsman and played 38 innings in 22 first class matches with an average of 11.19 and a top score of 35. He was a right-arm round-arm bowler and took 6 wickets at an average of 27.00 and a best performance of 3 for 38.
Smith died in Derby
at the age of 57.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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 who played for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
from 1871 to 1878. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871.
Smith was born in Clifton, Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and was a solicitor by profession. From 1865 he was playing cricket regularly for Gentlemen of Derbyshire and South Derbyshire. Smith debuted for Derbyshire in the 1871 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1871
Derbyshire county cricket opening season was in 1871 when Derbyshire County Cricket Club first competed in the county competition, having been founded the previous November.-Foundation:...
in their first match against Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
. He was one of five round-arm bowlers of Derbyshire's debut season (the others being James Billyeald
James Billyeald
James Billyeald was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire in 1871.Billyeald was born at Hyson Green near Nottingham, the son of Thomas Billyeald and his wife Annis Hallam. He became a commercial traveller for wares, groceries and seeds and was living at Wirksworth...
, Dove Gregory
Dove Gregory
Dove Gregory was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire in 1871 and 1872. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871 and his early death in 1873 robbed the side of an outstanding bowler.Dove was born in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire...
, William Hickton
William Hickton (cricketer, born 1842)
William Hickton was an English cricketer who played for Lancashire between 1867 and 1871 and for Derbyshire between 1871 and 1878. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871....
, John Platts
John Platts
John Thomas Brown Dumelow Platts was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1871 and 1884. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871....
, and John Tilson
John Tilson (cricketer)
John Tilson was an English cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1871 and 1876. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871....
. Smith played one first class match in the 1872 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1872
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1872 was the second cricket season which the English club Derbyshire played. They had been unable to arrange further first-class fixtures than the two against Lancashire and lost both.-1872 season:...
and also played against the Prince's Club. He played no first-class matches in the 1873 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1873
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1873 was the third cricket season which the English club Derbyshire played. Officials and supporters were disappointed that they had been unable to arrange further first-class fixtures than the two against Lancashire, but they managed to arrange an extra match...
but took part in a miscallaneous game against Nottinghamshire. He made his first real breakthrough playing three of four matches in Derbyshire's undefeated 1874 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1874
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1874 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire earned the title of Champion County in their fourth year playing as a club. Kent joined Lancashire to make the second County side to play first class matches against Derbyshire in 1874...
. As a lower-order batsman, he was not out for 15 against Sandy Watson
Alexander Watson (cricketer)
Alexander Watson was an English first-class cricketer who played for Lancashire.Scotland born Watson was a prolific wickettaker for Lancashire, debuting in 1871. In 1871 he first played for Lancashire and in 1874 took his career best innings figures of 9 for 118 against Derbyshire...
, who took nine-wickets for Lancashire in a game which Derbyshire still won. Smith played in five of Derbyshire's seven matches in the 1875 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1875
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1875 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their fifth season. Nottinghamshire had played informal matches aggainst Derbyshire in previous seasons, and joined Lancashire and Kent to make a third County side playing first class matches...
. He played three matches in the 1876 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1876
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1876 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their sixth season.Hampshire replaced Nottinghamshire as the third county to play Derbyshire, together with Lancashire and Kent. Derbyshire also played their first match against an MCC side, which...
and seven in the 1877 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1877
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1877 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their seventh season.Yorkshire joined Hampshire, Lancashire and Kent as the fourth county to play Derbyshire. John Platts became the first cricketer to score a century for Derbyshire.-1877...
. In his last season for Derbyshire in 1878
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1878
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1878 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their eighth season.Nottinghamshire played Derbyshire again after a two year break, joining Yorkshire Hampshire, Lancashire and Kent as the fifth county to play Derbyshire-1878 season:In 1878,...
, he played two first class matches, his last against an All England XI. He also played two matches for Derbyshire against school teams. In 1879 he played for Gentlemen of Derbyshire against a team of Canadian expatriates, including Walter Wright and Thomas Phillips.
Smith was a right-handed batsman and played 38 innings in 22 first class matches with an average of 11.19 and a top score of 35. He was a right-arm round-arm bowler and took 6 wickets at an average of 27.00 and a best performance of 3 for 38.
Smith died in Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
at the age of 57.