Career
He also played for Cheshire in the Minor Counties, appearing in occasional List A one day games for them in 1988 and 1989. Born at Ossett, Yorkshire, England, Smith had hopes of replacing the long-serving Jimmy Binks behind the stumps for Yorkshire, but found his place taken by the then 18-year-old, David Bairstow. Smith moved to Essex instead to replace Brian Taylor, and established himself in the side in 1973.
He lost his place in 1981 to David East, captained the Essex Second XI for a season, and then returned to Yorkshire for a business career.
In 187 first-class matches, he took 395 catches and 51 stumpings, and scored 3,336 runs as a pugnacious right-handed batsman. In 171 one-day games, he took 124 catches and 23 stumpings, and scored 851 runs at 10.50, occasionally used as a pinch hitter up the batting order.
Smith died of cancer in March 2003, at Dewsbury, Yorkshire. He was 53.