Don Smith, Lancing Groundsman and Cricket Coach 1962-1986 (January 2021)

Don Smith

My boyhood cricketing heroes were members of the ’53 Ashes-winning team: Hutton, Compton, May, Edrich et al, so that when I arrived at Lancing in 1964 as a very young master it was with some awe that I greeted Don Smith. The D.V. Smith who not only knew these heroes of mine but had played with and against them.

Soon a friendship developed between us which lasted until Don’s death a few weeks ago. A partnership also grew in which Don supplied all the expertise and I a degree of organisation and enthusiastic participation. Don had an unerring eye for a cricketer’s potential successfully converting, for example, a tall dreamy off spinner into a fearsome fast bowler for the school and the Rovers. Occasionally, though, he could be over-severe in his appraisal if someone failed to apply himself as dutifully as Don expected. After all, Don had had to earn his living from the game and knew full well just how much hard work was needed to reach the heights. It was then that a bit of oil had to be applied!

In my mind’s eye I can see us strolling along Scheveningen’s lengthy promenade on the first of many tours of Holland; circumnavigating the incomparable Upper Field and many other splendid school grounds here, and most notably in Australia, vainly attempting to effect a bowling or fielding change! Many journeys in the school minibus to and from cricket festivals at Malvern, Charterhouse or Rugby; the first tour to Holland in company with Kevin Hacket’s old Land Rover as baggage wagon; a flight from Shoreham to Jersey in an orange British Antarctic Survey plane masquerading as “Jersey European Airways” and, of course, the first flight to Australia which proved to be such a major turning point in Don’s life.

In his self-deprecating way, Don described himself as a “poor man’s Gary Sobers” being able to bat left-handed, and bowl, at will, left arm seam up, orthodox spin or chinaman! I loved attempting to keep wicket to all these variations in Common Room or Lancing Rovers matches especially when his dander was up! He possessed a sweet left foot – having played for Manchester City in wartime matches – and was a dab hand at golf and, latterly, bowls! A real all rounder and nobody’s “poor man”.

I shall miss him greatly and will remain forever grateful for his friendship and support.

Alan Evans-Jones (Former Staff)

England Cricket recently mourned the death of its oldest living Test Match player when Don Smith passed away peacefully at his home in Adelaide on Sunday 10 January.

Don, a left-handed all-rounder scored 16,960 first-class runs and took 340 wickets for Sussex during a 16-year career that saw him receive a much-deserved call up to face the West Indies in 1957 making his debut at Lord’s. Unfortunately, he could only amass 25 runs in the three Tests he played but did go on to score a fine 147 against the tourists for his county.

When he retired in 1962, Don became the cricket coach and groundsman at Lancing, a position he held for over twenty years, and along with the Master in Charge of Cricket, Alan Evans-Jones, led the first Lancing College cricket tour to Australia in 1984. It was there that he rediscovered his love for the country, emigrating to Adelaide in 1986. He also coached the Sri Lankan national team to their first Test victory over England as they eased their way into the Test arena.

From a personal perspective, having toured Australia and played in Don’s final season, I found his sense of humour to be very dry, one that could evaporate in an instant if you managed to slog his (by then slow) left-armers out of the nets: it was fun trying! But you did not want to get on the wrong side of him either: as some of us found out on tour one night having broken curfew.   It is no exaggeration to say that without his and Alan’s enthusiasm and patience, my love for the game wouldn’t be what it is today so thank you, Don.

Tim Mackenzie Olds 1981-1986 and President, Lancing Rovers CC