Ed Smith (cricketer) Biography
Edward Thomas Smith, MA (born 19 July 1977, Pembury, Kent, UK) is an English author and journalist, and former professional cricketer.
Background
He is the son of the novelist Jonathan Smith. He was educated at Tonbridge School (where he was in the dayboy house Welldon House) and he read History at Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he obtained a double first, despite devoting much of his time to cricket. He made a century on his first-class debut in 1996, for Cambridge University.
Cricketing career
Smith has played three home Test matches for England versus South Africa in 2003. He made 64 on debut, but put together 23 runs in his next four innings, and was dropped for the subsequent tour of the subcontinent.
Smith is a tall right-handed batsman with a penchant for the drive and has represented England, Cambridge University, Kent and Middlesex.
During thirteen seasons of first-class cricket, he has scored 34 centuries. He hit a peak in 2003, when he had a Bradmanesque July for Kent: 135, 0, 122, 149, 113, 203, 36, 108, 32. He averaged 72.99 for the 2003 first-class season when he was selected for England.
He left his native county following the 2004 season and joined Middlesex for 2005. He captained the county for two seasons during 2007 and 2008. After missing most of the 2008 season due to an ankle injury, Smith announced his retirement later that year.
Literary career
which describes his interest in the game, psychology, history and mythology of American baseball and compares it to cricket. His diary of the eventful 2003 season,
was highly praised, and shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year and The Cricket Society Book of the Year Award in 2004. He has also contributed cricket book reviews for the Wisden Cricketers' Almanack and history book reviews for the Sunday Telegraph. His most recent book, published in May 2008, is titled What Sport Tells Us About Life, a discussion of the role of sport in society, and its moral and ethical lessons.
