Robert Smith (cricketer)
Encyclopedia
Robert Posnett Smith later known as Robert Posnett Stevens, was an English
cricket
er who played first class cricket for Derbyshire
between 1871 and 1884 and was captain of the side from 1876 to 1883. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871.
Smith was born in Sawley
, the son of John Smith a farmer and his wife Ruth. He was educated at Castle Donington
School in Leicestershire
and continued farming at Sawley.
Smith took part in the very first fixture played by Derbyshire as a county team in the 1871 season
, against a Lancashire
side who posted the lowest total against Derbyshire in the history of first-class cricket. He played in both matches between Derbyshire and Lancashire in the 1872
and 1873 season
s. In the 1874 season
, with Kent taking on Derbyshire Smith played in all four matches none of which was lost. Also in 1874, he appeared for the United North of England team in a first-class match against the South. His team included early leading lights of cricket such as Tom Emmett, former Yorkshire captain Ephraim Lockwood
, and uncle-and-nephew pairing Andrew
(a two-time Test player) and Yorkshire captain Luke Greenwood
. The South of England had at their disposal early soon-to-become Test greats such as James Lillywhite jnr.
, Harry Jupp
, and Dr. William Gilbert Grace, a combination of early Test cricketers who served to overpower their less experienced opponents. A return match saw a three-day draw, though it came complete with a nine-wicket haul for Grace.
Smith played seven matches for Derbyshire in the 1875 season
and was appointed captain of Derbyshire for the 1876 season
when the club won three and lost four. Also in 1876 he played for an All-England team as innings victors against the United South of England.
In the 1877
season Smith's batting avearge was up to the twenties and his Derbyshire side won five matches to three losses. In the 1878 season
Smith was top scorer for Derbyshire with 390 runs and played again for a losing North side against South Derbyshire lost more of their matches in this season. The 1879 season
was also less successful for the club and Smith's average fell to single figures. In the 1880
Derbyshire faced the touring Australian
, captained by Harry Boyle
. The highly-experienced Australian team, consisting entirely of contemporary Test players, won with an innings to spare. Also in 1880 Smith opened for the Gentlemen against the Players, along with George Barrington
, just three weeks after an innings victory over a Canadian
representative team, which included Thomas Phillips and Walter Gilbert
. Smith carried on captaining the Derbyshire team in the 1881
, 1882
and 1883 season
s playing more matches but seeing fewer wins. He handed over captaincy to Ludford Docker
for the 1884 season
in which he played his last six matches.
Smith was a right-handed batsman and played 190 innings in 103 first class matches with an average of 14.54 and a top score of 87. Smith was a slow right-arm underarm
bowler but took no wickets in around eight overs.
Smith continued as a farmer of 50 acres (202,343 m²) with one employee, living with his wife Sarah, a brother, John, eight years his junior, and a domestic servant. In 1885 he changed his name to Robert Posnett Stevens and in 1891 was Lord of the Manor of Breaston
. He died at Staunton Grange, Nottinghamshire
at the age of 50.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er who played first class cricket for Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Cricket Club
Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire...
between 1871 and 1884 and was captain of the side from 1876 to 1883. He was a member of the team that played Derbyshire's first match in May 1871.
Smith was born in Sawley
Sawley, Derbyshire
Sawley is a village and civil parish within the Borough of Erewash, in southeast Derbyshire, England. Around 6,500 people live in the parish. with a slightly higher than average number of people over 65....
, the son of John Smith a farmer and his wife Ruth. He was educated at Castle Donington
Castle Donington
Castle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
School in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
and continued farming at Sawley.
Smith took part in the very first fixture played by Derbyshire as a county team in the 1871 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1871
Derbyshire county cricket opening season was in 1871 when Derbyshire County Cricket Club first competed in the county competition, having been founded the previous November.-Foundation:...
, against a Lancashire
Lancashire County Cricket Club
Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then...
side who posted the lowest total against Derbyshire in the history of first-class cricket. He played in both matches between Derbyshire and Lancashire in the 1872
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1872
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1872 was the second cricket season which the English club Derbyshire played. They had been unable to arrange further first-class fixtures than the two against Lancashire and lost both.-1872 season:...
and 1873 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1873
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1873 was the third cricket season which the English club Derbyshire played. Officials and supporters were disappointed that they had been unable to arrange further first-class fixtures than the two against Lancashire, but they managed to arrange an extra match...
s. In the 1874 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1874
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1874 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire earned the title of Champion County in their fourth year playing as a club. Kent joined Lancashire to make the second County side to play first class matches against Derbyshire in 1874...
, with Kent taking on Derbyshire Smith played in all four matches none of which was lost. Also in 1874, he appeared for the United North of England team in a first-class match against the South. His team included early leading lights of cricket such as Tom Emmett, former Yorkshire captain Ephraim Lockwood
Ephraim Lockwood
Ephraim Lockwood was an English first-class cricketer, and captain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club in the 1876 and 1877 seasons.-Life and career:...
, and uncle-and-nephew pairing Andrew
Andrew Greenwood
Andrew Greenwood was an English cricketer, who played in the first two cricket Tests. Greenwood was small in height, but a gutsy batsman, who was also noted for his fielding in the deep....
(a two-time Test player) and Yorkshire captain Luke Greenwood
Luke Greenwood
Luke Greenwood was an English first-class cricketer, who played 48 matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1861 to 1874...
. The South of England had at their disposal early soon-to-become Test greats such as James Lillywhite jnr.
James Lillywhite
James Lillywhite was a first-class and Test cricketer and umpire. He was the first ever captain of the English cricket team in a Test match, captaining 2 Tests against Australia in 1876-77, losing the first, but winning the second.Lillywhite was born in Westhampnett in Sussex, the son of a...
, Harry Jupp
Harry Jupp
Henry Jupp was an English professional cricketer, who was the opening batsman for Surrey County Cricket Club from 1862 to 1881. Renowned for his defensive technique, Jupp was known as "Young Stonewaller"....
, and Dr. William Gilbert Grace, a combination of early Test cricketers who served to overpower their less experienced opponents. A return match saw a three-day draw, though it came complete with a nine-wicket haul for Grace.
Smith played seven matches for Derbyshire in the 1875 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1875
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1875 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their fifth season. Nottinghamshire had played informal matches aggainst Derbyshire in previous seasons, and joined Lancashire and Kent to make a third County side playing first class matches...
and was appointed captain of Derbyshire for the 1876 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1876
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1876 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their sixth season.Hampshire replaced Nottinghamshire as the third county to play Derbyshire, together with Lancashire and Kent. Derbyshire also played their first match against an MCC side, which...
when the club won three and lost four. Also in 1876 he played for an All-England team as innings victors against the United South of England.
In the 1877
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1877
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1877 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their seventh season.Yorkshire joined Hampshire, Lancashire and Kent as the fourth county to play Derbyshire. John Platts became the first cricketer to score a century for Derbyshire.-1877...
season Smith's batting avearge was up to the twenties and his Derbyshire side won five matches to three losses. In the 1878 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1878
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1878 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their eighth season.Nottinghamshire played Derbyshire again after a two year break, joining Yorkshire Hampshire, Lancashire and Kent as the fifth county to play Derbyshire-1878 season:In 1878,...
Smith was top scorer for Derbyshire with 390 runs and played again for a losing North side against South Derbyshire lost more of their matches in this season. The 1879 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1879
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1879 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their ninth season.Of the county sides Derbyshire played in the previous year they had matches against Lancashire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. However they did not play Hampshire or Kent...
was also less successful for the club and Smith's average fell to single figures. In the 1880
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1880
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1880 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire played their tenth season.Derbyshire played Lancashire and Yorkshire who they had played in the previous season...
Derbyshire faced the touring Australian
Australian cricket team in England in 1880
The Australian cricket team in England in 1880 played nine first-class matches including one Test, which was the first ever played in England. They were captained by W.L. Murdoch...
, captained by Harry Boyle
Harry Boyle
Henry Frederick Boyle was a leading Australian Test cricketer of the late 1870s and early 1880s....
. The highly-experienced Australian team, consisting entirely of contemporary Test players, won with an innings to spare. Also in 1880 Smith opened for the Gentlemen against the Players, along with George Barrington
George Barrington (cricketer)
George Bainbridge Barrington was an English cricketer who played first class cricket for Derbyshire between 1880 and 1887....
, just three weeks after an innings victory over a Canadian
Canadian cricket team
The Canada cricket team is the national cricket team representing Canada in men's international competition. It is run by Cricket Canada.While Canada is not sanctioned to play Test matches, the team does take part in One Day International matches and also in first-class games against other...
representative team, which included Thomas Phillips and Walter Gilbert
Walter Gilbert
Walter Gilbert is an American physicist, biochemist, molecular biology pioneer, and Nobel laureate.-Biography:Gilbert was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 21, 1932...
. Smith carried on captaining the Derbyshire team in the 1881
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1881
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1881 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for ten years. The team played nine first class matches and won two of them-1881 season:...
, 1882
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1882
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1882 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for eleven years. The team played eight first class matches and won one of them-1882 season:...
and 1883 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1883
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1883 was the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for twelve years. They won two first class matches out of ten.-1883 season:...
s playing more matches but seeing fewer wins. He handed over captaincy to Ludford Docker
Ludford Docker
Ludford Charles Docker was businessman and an English cricketer. He played first-class cricket for Derbyshire between 1881 and 1886, captaining the side in 1884, and for Warwickshire in 1894 and 1895.-Early life:...
for the 1884 season
Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1884
Derbyshire Country Cricket Club in 1884 represents the cricket season when the English club Derbyshire had been playing for thirteen years. They lost all ten county matches and their only victory was against MCC.-1884 season:...
in which he played his last six matches.
Smith was a right-handed batsman and played 190 innings in 103 first class matches with an average of 14.54 and a top score of 87. Smith was a slow right-arm underarm
Underarm bowling
In cricket, underarm bowling is as old as the sport itself. Until the introduction of the roundarm style in the first half of the 19th century, bowling was performed in the same way as in bowls, the ball being delivered with the hand below the waist...
bowler but took no wickets in around eight overs.
Smith continued as a farmer of 50 acres (202,343 m²) with one employee, living with his wife Sarah, a brother, John, eight years his junior, and a domestic servant. In 1885 he changed his name to Robert Posnett Stevens and in 1891 was Lord of the Manor of Breaston
Breaston
Breaston is a large village in the south-east of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England near Long Eaton and close to the M1.-History:Breaston was mentioned in the Domesday book as belonging to Henry de Ferrers and being worth four shillings....
. He died at Staunton Grange, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
at the age of 50.