Tiger Smith
Encyclopedia
Ernest James "Tiger" Smith (February 6, 1886, Birmingham
, Warwickshire
– August 31, 1979, Northfield
, Warwickshire) was an English wicket-keeper
who played in 11 Tests
from 1911/1912 to 1914. In county cricket, he had a much longer career as the successor to Dick Lilley
: he played for Warwickshire
on a regular basis until 1930. After that, Tiger Smith took to umpiring
and became so good in this new role that he umpired several Test matches between 1933 and 1938.
Originally an employee with the Cadbury confectionery firm in Birmingham, he was first engaged by Warwickshire as a professional in 1904 but played only irregularly for over half a decade owing to the presence of Lilley behind the stumps. When, after losing his Test place Lilley decided to concentrate on batting, Tiger Smith took his opportunity remarkably well, and developed a remarkable understanding with Frank Foster in his first full season in 1910. The following year Warwickshire achieved an astonishing triumph in the County Championship even though the abnormally dry and hot weather made it an utter fluke based around the pace bowling of Foster and Frank Field
. Smith kept wicket superbly - standing up to Foster even though he could get great pace off the extremely fast pitches - and made a remarkable advance in batting. He had not scored one half century before 1911 but advanced to over 800 runs with a century against Surrey at Edgbaston.
His choice for the 1911/1912 Ashes tour was surprising but Smith's skill at taking Foster was sufficient to keep Herbert Strudwick
out of the Test line-up. He made eight catches and one remarkable stumping off Foster and took the rising, spinning bowling of Sydney Barnes
better than any other 'keeper before or since. 1912 saw the ill-fated Triangular Tournament, but the summer was so wet that English cricket in 1911 and 1912 was quite literally two different ball games. Warwickshire unsurprisingly declined to mid-table, but Smith maintained his form so well in 1913 with a personal high 68 dismissals that he was chosen for the South African tour. However, he lost his place to Strudwick after one Test and never regained his England place as Strudwick and Arthur Dolphin
overtook him.
However, in the postwar years Smith was a mainstay of Warwickshire cricket right up to his retirement at the end of 1930. During this period, he not only kept wicket consistently, but also advanced so much as a batsman that he scored 1,303 runs in 1922 and 1,477 at over 31 an innings in 1925. In that season, he played a brilliant unbeaten innings of 139 out of 392 for one against Sussex and was unlucky that Jack Hobbs
' presentation may have denied him a chance for Cricketer of the Year
nomination by Wisden
.
After retiring as a player, Tiger Smith umpired first-class cricket from May 1931 up to the outbreak of World War II. He stood as an umpire in eight Test matches in England, starting with 2nd Test between England and West Indies at Old Trafford in July 1933, then the 2nd Test between England and South Africa at Lord's in June 1935, the 2nd and 3rd Tests between England and New Zealand in 1937, the 2nd Test and 4th Tests between England and Australia Headingley in 1938, and finally the 1st and 2nd Test between England and West Indies in 1939.
He became coach of Warwickshire after the war, a position which he held until the end of 1955 and which saw the county win its second County Championship
in 1951. He also umpired a few further first-class matches until 1953, mostly involving Warwickshire against non-county sides, such as Cambridge University or Combined Services. However, he continued to supervise the local indoor cricket school right up until the early 1970s when he handed the reins over to younger personnel. He was always renowned for his fighting qualities both on and off the cricket field and for his razor-sharp sense of humour which made him popular throughout his association with the game of cricket.
At the time of his death, Tiger Smith was the oldest living Test cricketer and was the last surviving pre-First World War player.
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
– August 31, 1979, Northfield
Northfield, West Midlands
Northfield is a residential area on the southern outskirts of metropolitan Birmingham, England and near the boundary with Worcestershire. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
, Warwickshire) was an English wicket-keeper
Wicket-keeper
The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
who played in 11 Tests
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
from 1911/1912 to 1914. In county cricket, he had a much longer career as the successor to Dick Lilley
Dick Lilley
Arthur Frederick Augustus Lilley was an English cricketer who played in 35 Tests from 1896 to 1909, more than any other England wicket-keeper in the first sixty years of Test cricket.The conservative cricket establishment of the time was not effusive in its appreciation of this great keeper...
: he played for Warwickshire
Warwickshire County Cricket Club
Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor...
on a regular basis until 1930. After that, Tiger Smith took to umpiring
Umpire (cricket)
In cricket, an umpire is a person who has the authority to make judgements on the cricket field, according to the Laws of Cricket...
and became so good in this new role that he umpired several Test matches between 1933 and 1938.
Originally an employee with the Cadbury confectionery firm in Birmingham, he was first engaged by Warwickshire as a professional in 1904 but played only irregularly for over half a decade owing to the presence of Lilley behind the stumps. When, after losing his Test place Lilley decided to concentrate on batting, Tiger Smith took his opportunity remarkably well, and developed a remarkable understanding with Frank Foster in his first full season in 1910. The following year Warwickshire achieved an astonishing triumph in the County Championship even though the abnormally dry and hot weather made it an utter fluke based around the pace bowling of Foster and Frank Field
Frank Field (cricketer)
Frank Field was a Warwickshire fast bowler who is best remembered for sharing with Frank Foster the bowling honours in Warwickshire's flukish County Championship triumph in the abnormally dry summer of 1911 - the only time...
. Smith kept wicket superbly - standing up to Foster even though he could get great pace off the extremely fast pitches - and made a remarkable advance in batting. He had not scored one half century before 1911 but advanced to over 800 runs with a century against Surrey at Edgbaston.
His choice for the 1911/1912 Ashes tour was surprising but Smith's skill at taking Foster was sufficient to keep Herbert Strudwick
Herbert Strudwick
Herbert Strudwick was an English wicket-keeper...
out of the Test line-up. He made eight catches and one remarkable stumping off Foster and took the rising, spinning bowling of Sydney Barnes
Sydney Barnes
Sydney Francis Barnes was an English professional cricketer who is generally regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the sport's history...
better than any other 'keeper before or since. 1912 saw the ill-fated Triangular Tournament, but the summer was so wet that English cricket in 1911 and 1912 was quite literally two different ball games. Warwickshire unsurprisingly declined to mid-table, but Smith maintained his form so well in 1913 with a personal high 68 dismissals that he was chosen for the South African tour. However, he lost his place to Strudwick after one Test and never regained his England place as Strudwick and Arthur Dolphin
Arthur Dolphin
Arthur Dolphin was an English first-class cricketer, who kept wicket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1905 and 1927...
overtook him.
However, in the postwar years Smith was a mainstay of Warwickshire cricket right up to his retirement at the end of 1930. During this period, he not only kept wicket consistently, but also advanced so much as a batsman that he scored 1,303 runs in 1922 and 1,477 at over 31 an innings in 1925. In that season, he played a brilliant unbeaten innings of 139 out of 392 for one against Sussex and was unlucky that Jack Hobbs
Jack Hobbs
Sir John Berry "Jack" Hobbs was an English professional cricketer who played for Surrey from 1905 to 1934 and for England in 61 Test matches from 1908 to 1930....
' presentation may have denied him a chance for Cricketer of the Year
Wisden Cricketers of the Year
The Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
nomination by Wisden
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack
Wisden Cricketers' Almanack is a cricket reference book published annually in the United Kingdom...
.
After retiring as a player, Tiger Smith umpired first-class cricket from May 1931 up to the outbreak of World War II. He stood as an umpire in eight Test matches in England, starting with 2nd Test between England and West Indies at Old Trafford in July 1933, then the 2nd Test between England and South Africa at Lord's in June 1935, the 2nd and 3rd Tests between England and New Zealand in 1937, the 2nd Test and 4th Tests between England and Australia Headingley in 1938, and finally the 1st and 2nd Test between England and West Indies in 1939.
He became coach of Warwickshire after the war, a position which he held until the end of 1955 and which saw the county win its second County Championship
County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
in 1951. He also umpired a few further first-class matches until 1953, mostly involving Warwickshire against non-county sides, such as Cambridge University or Combined Services. However, he continued to supervise the local indoor cricket school right up until the early 1970s when he handed the reins over to younger personnel. He was always renowned for his fighting qualities both on and off the cricket field and for his razor-sharp sense of humour which made him popular throughout his association with the game of cricket.
At the time of his death, Tiger Smith was the oldest living Test cricketer and was the last surviving pre-First World War player.