Gerald Smithson facts for kids

Gerald Arthur Smithson (born 1926, died 1970) was a talented English cricket player. He played in two special international matches called Tests for the England team in 1947–48. He was born in Spofforth, Yorkshire, and passed away in Abingdon, Oxfordshire.

Gerald Smithson's Cricket Journey

Smithson was a left-handed batsman who hit the ball with his left hand. He was also a right-arm medium bowler, meaning he bowled with his right arm at a medium speed. He was known for being a very quick and good fielder, catching the ball well.

He started playing first-class cricket for Yorkshire when he was just 19 years old. This was in 1946. In one game in 1947, he scored an amazing 169 runs for Yorkshire. This was his highest score for the team.

Playing for Different Teams

After playing for Yorkshire, Smithson joined Leicestershire in 1951. He played for them until 1956. His best year with Leicestershire was 1952, when he scored 1,264 runs. He even hit two centuries (scoring 100 runs or more in one game) that season!

Later, he played for Hertfordshire in a different type of cricket called Minor Counties cricket. He played there from 1957 to 1962.

A Special Match and Comparisons

In 1947, when Smithson was 20, he scored 98 runs for Yorkshire in a famous game called the Roses Match. This game was against their rivals, Lancashire.

A famous writer, Michael Parkinson, wrote about this game. The captain of the Yorkshire team, Norman Yardley, said Smithson's batting was like that of young Australian players. Another cricket expert, Alan Hill, said Smithson's playing style was similar to a later England player, David Gower.

Serving His Country and Playing for England

During World War II, Smithson had to work in coal mines as a "Bevin Boy." This was part of a special program called National Service. He worked in a mine for three years.

Even though he was working in the mines, he got special permission to join the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) team. This team went on a tour to the West Indies in 1947–48. His case was even talked about in the House of Commons!

On this tour, Smithson played in two Test matches for England. These matches were in Barbados and Trinidad. In his second Test match, he scored 35 runs in each innings. His strong batting helped England save the game from a loss.

After the tour, he got injured and couldn't play for Yorkshire in 1948.

Winning the County Championship

In 1949, Smithson was part of the Yorkshire team that won the County Championship. This is a big competition in English cricket. They shared the title with Middlesex.

His last recorded game for Yorkshire was in July 1950 against the Scotland team.

Life After Professional Cricket

After his full-time cricket career, Gerald Smithson became a cricket coach. He also worked as a groundsman, taking care of cricket fields. He worked at Caterham School and then at Abingdon School.

Remembering Gerald Smithson

To honor him, the Gerald Smithson Memorial Twenty20 Cricket Tournament was started. The first tournament was held at Abingdon School in 2009. A former England cricketer, Devon Malcolm, was a special guest at the event.

A picture of Smithson in his mining clothes was even shown in the famous cricket book, Wisden, in 1948.

Gerald Smithson passed away suddenly in September 1970, when he was 43 years old.