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Ray Smith (10 August 1914 – 21 February 1996) was an English cricketer. He played for Essex between 1934 and 1956.

Career

Smith was a prominent all-rounder in the post-war Essex cricket team, alongside his cousin Peter. He was known for his dynamic bowling, often initiating the attack with rapid in-swingers, and then switching to less effective off-breaks. Smith's batting was sporadically powerful, with three of his eight first-class centuries recorded as the fastest in their respective seasons. Notably harsh on off-spinners, he once left bowler Jim Laker exasperated. Contrary to fast-bowling norms, Smith's appeals were delivered in a soft, aristocratic voice.

Retiring in 1956, he missed the introduction of one-day cricket but had an accomplished career as a coach at Felsted and ran a restaurant outside Birmingham. His final home match saw Essex secure its first victory over Yorkshire since the war, with Smith scoring the winning runs.

References

1. "Ray Smith". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
2. ^ "Obituaries in 1996". Wisden. 6 December 2005.

External links

• Ray Smith at ESPNcricinfo
• Ray Smith at CricketArchive (subscription required)

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