Denis Smith

Who was Denis Smith?

Denis Smith was a cricketer who played for Derbyshire between 1927 and 1952 and in two Test matches for England in 1935. He scored over 21,000 runs in first class cricket.

Smith was born in Somercotes, Derbyshire. Smith 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, 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 did well enough to be considered unlucky not to play more. He played regularly for Derbyshire until 1951, acting as wicket-keeper in the immediate post-war period. He later 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.