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Jim Smith England (ENG)
Batting style	Right-hand bat
Bowling type	Right-arm fast
	Tests	First-class
Matches	5	208
Runs scored	102	4007
Batting average	10.19	14.67
100s/50s	-/-	1/15
Top score	27	101*
Balls bowled	930	43058
Wickets	15	845
Bowling average	26.19	19.25
5 wickets in innings	1	47
10 wickets in match	-	8
Best bowling	5/16	8/102
Catches/stumpings	1/-	98/-
Test debut: 8 January, 1935 Last Test: 24 July, 1937 Source: [1]

Cedric Ivan James Smith (August 25, 1906, Corsham, Wiltshire – February 8, 1979, Mellor, Lancashire) was an English cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1935 to 1937.

"Big Jim" joined the Lords ground staff in 1926 and played for Wiltshire until 1933. He qualified for Middlesex in 1934 and was an immediate sensation, taking 172 wickets at 18.88 to finish 6th in the bowling averages. He was selected for the MCC tour of the West Indies on the strength of this performance, playing in every Test and also appeared for England against New Zealand at Old Trafford in 1937. A six foot four inch fast bowler, his accuracy and appetite for hard work won him 676 wickets at 17.75 before the onset of World War 2 effectively ended his career. Although primarily a bowler, his fame as a big hitting tail ender endures. He smashed a half century in just 11 minutes against Gloucestershire at Bristol in 1938, the fastest genuine fifty on record. Another 50 came in 14 minutes against Kent in 1935 while his sole first class century, an unbeaten 101, was scored in 81 minutes against Kent. One of "Big Jim's" lesser achievements was being credited by some as the hitter of the biggest six in history. This maximum, hit at Lords in 1937, cleared the Old Grandstand on the North side of the ground. It went so far, that not only did it clear the Old Grandstand, it also cleared the Old Lime Tree in Canterbury, another 100 yards away from the Ground. He was one of only 3 men to ever clear the tree. After hitting the shot, many of the spectators in the ground believed Smith could be on the way to the quickest century in Cricket, but of course it wasn't, his one and only century against Kent took 81 minutes. In 1935, "Big Jim" Smith became one of Wisden Cricket's 5 players of the year.

Although Smith had a reputation as a big hitter even his power had its limits! For a shot to be played at Lord's and for it to clear the Old Lime Tree at Canterbury, Kent meant a travelling distance of nigh on sixty miles. A bit of a fisherman's tale that one!

External links

• Martin Williamson, "The ultimate slogger"
• Cricinfo
• Cricket Archive