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Cape Town - Cricket South Africa (CSA) has paid tribute to South African leg spin bowler, Ian Smith, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 90.
Vivian Ian Smith played first-class cricket for Natal from 1945 to 1958 and represented South Africa in nine Test matches against England and Australia between 1947 and 1957.
He was unfortunate that his career coincided with several outstanding South African spin bowlers - Athol Rowan, Hugh Tayfield and Tufty Mann - otherwise he might have had more international opportunities.
His best international figures were on his debut in England in 1947 when he took 3/46 and 4/143 in a match in which England were forced to follow on before achieving a draw. On that tour he headed the first-class averages and returned the remarkable figures of 6/1, including the hat trick, against Derbyshire.
Domestically, his best figures were 9/88 (12/144 in the match) against Border in 1946/47. In the following season he had match figures of 11/119 against Griquas with wicketkeeper Billy Wade making seven stumpings off his bowling.
“On behalf of the CSA family I extend our deepest condolences to his family, his friends and his cricketing colleagues”, commented CSA Chief Executive, Haroon Lorgat.
