Sydney Smith

Who was Sydney Smith?

Sydney Gordon Smith was a cricketer who had three distinct careers, playing for Trinidad in the West Indies, for Northamptonshire in England and for Auckland in New Zealand. He also played for representative sides – for the West Indies side that toured England in 1906; for the MCC sides that toured the West Indies in 1910-11 and 1912-13; and for New Zealand in pre-Test cricket matches against MCC and Australian sides.

Smith was a forceful left-handed middle-order batsman and a left-arm spin bowler. He played first for Trinidad in the 1899-1900 Inter-Colonial Tournament and was successful over the next few seasons primarily as a bowler. In 1901-02 he was selected for the combined West Indies team in Trinidad against a touring team led by Richard Bennett and including England Test players Bernard Bosanquet, Frederick Fane and Rockley Wilson. He took nine wickets for 34 in the first innings and followed that with seven for 51 in the second. He was again selected for the combined West Indies team in Trinidad against Lord Brackley's team three years later.

He was selected to tour England with the second West Indies team in 1906. He was described pre-tour as "the best amateur bowler in the West Indies, bowls slow left hand; can also bat very well" and "he is regarded as the crack bowler of the side. A left-hander with easy delivery who can make the ball break either way, and who sends down a deceptive fast ball. He can hit with vigour and precision and cuts well. He is a good field in the slips". Smith started the tour extremely well, being particularly effective against the weaker sides. After 8 matches he had scored over 700 runs and taken over 50 wickets. After that his batting was disappointing although he continued to take wickets, including 12 in the final match against Northamptonshire. In first-class matches he scored 571 runs at an average of 24.82, including a century against Hampshire and taking 66 wickets at an average of 24.36. In all matches he performed the "double", scoring 1107 runs and taking 116 wickets, leading the averages in both categories. After the tour, he stayed in England to qualify for county cricket with Northamptonshire.