John Smith (Derbyshire cricketer)

John Smith (October 27, 1841 — November 26, 1898) was an English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm round-arm bowler. Smith was born in Clifton.

Smith debuted in 1871, though he made his first real breakthrough playing in Derbyshire's undefeated 1874 season, when, as a lower-order batsman, he proved himself sturdy against a rampaging Sandy Watson, who, despite a nine-wicket haul for Lancashire, was unable, singlehandedly, to win the match for the team. Smith was then selected for five of Derbyshire's seven matches during 1875, and, just when he looked to be recapturing his good form two years later, was dropped from the team and didn't appear in another County match.

Smith, one amongst five round-arm bowlers of Derbyshire's debut season (the others, James Billyeald, Dove Gregory, William Hickton, John Platts, and John Tilson, had variable influence on the early game in Derbyshire, though by far the most successful was Platts), played five years later for Gentlemen of Derbyshire against a team of Canadian expats, including Walter Wright and Thomas Phillips.

Smith died in Derby at the age of 57.

External links

* [http://cricketarchive.com/Players/32/32869/32869.html John Smith] at Cricket Archive