Gerald Smithson

Infobox Historic Cricketer


nationality = English
country = England
country abbrev = ENG
name = Gerald Arthur Smithson
picture = Cricket_no_pic.pngbatting style = Left-hand bat
bowling style = Right-arm medium
tests = 2
test runs = 70
test bat avg = 23.33
test 100s/50s = -/-
test top score = 35
test balls = -
test wickets = -
test bowl avg = -
test 5s = -
test 10s = -
test best bowling = -
test catches/stumpings = -/-
FCs = 200
FC runs = 6940
FC bat avg = 22.67
FC 100s/50s = 8/31
FC top score = 169
FC balls = 94
FC wickets = 1
FC bowl avg = 117.00
FC 5s = -
FC 10s = -
FC best bowling = 1/26
FC catches/stumpings = 131/-
debut date = 21 January
debut year = 1948
last date = 11 February
last year = 1948
source = http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/20221.html

Gerald (Gerry) Arthur Smithson (born Spofforth, Yorkshire, on November 1 1926, died suddenly aged 43 at home in Abingdon, Oxfordshire on September 6 1970), played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1946 and 1949, his highest innings for the county being 169 against Leicestershire CCC at Leicester in 1947. Perhaps his most famous innings was the 98 he scored in the Roses Match of 1947 against Lancashire CCC when he was just 20, and which has been described in the writings of Yorkshire broadcaster and journalist Michael Parkinson (Parkinson's Lore, London: Pavilion, 1981). According to the then Yorkshire captain Norman Yardley, his batting invited comparison with young Australians. Historian Allan Hill called him a stylist of the David Gower school and wrote that this innings "aroused hopes of an exciting future". Smithson played for Leicestershire between 1951 and 1956. He also assisted Hertfordshire CCC between 1957 and 1962.

Conscripted into National Service as a Bevin Boy in the coal mines after the Second World War, he worked at Askern Colliery before receiving special permission (after his case had been debated in the British Parliament) to tour the West Indies with the MCC team of 1947-48, where he took part in two Test matches in Bridgetown, Barbados and Port of Spain, Trinidad - where the famous West Indies trio of Frank Worrell, Clyde Walcott and Everton Weekes first appeared together. He was injured on the tour and did not play for Yorkshire in 1948.

In 1949, Smithson was part of Yardley's side that won the Championship for the fourth successive time following the post-war resumption of First Class cricket in 1946, sharing the title with Middlesex CCC. His last recorded appearance for Yorkshire was a match against Scotland at Edinburgh in July 1950.

In 1951 he joined Leicestershire, with whom he remained until the close of the 1956 season. His best season at Leicestershire was that of 1952 when, through his attractive left-hand batting and two centuries, he hit 1,264 runs, averaging 28.08. His last first class match was for Leicestershire against Northamptonshire CCC at the County Ground, Northampton, in August 1956. Afterwards he served as professional cricket coach, first at Caterham School and then at Abingdon School where he was also Head Groundsman.

His photograph appeared twice in the famous cricketing journal Wisden; in 1948 on page 38, and as the frontispiece to the 1971 edition.

He was married to Anne Salter in 1954 with whom he had four daughters; Jacqueline (1956), Gillian (1958), Joanne (1964) and Justine (1966).