Cricketers in Melbourne’s outer east are mourning the loss of a much-loved player, administrator and umpire whose involvement in the local competition spans more than half a century.
If you’ve had anything to do with cricket around Ringwood in the past 50 years there’s a fair chance you would have come across Don Smith.
The legendary cricket figure umpired more than 160 local association games across 15 seasons and was a life member of the Ringwood and District Cricket Association.
He was also a foundation member of one of the league’s newest clubs, St Andrews in Wantirna, where his records are almost unrivalled.
Smith passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81 after a short battle with illness.
Close friend and teammate Lance Harvey said Smith was a “determined” player who turned many games with both his batting and bowling.
“He was a damn good cricketer, bat and ball, he was the sort of bloke that you could bat him anywhere,” Harvey said.
“There were matches that him and John Macmillan, who was also a foundation member, they would come in at seven and eight and put on a partnership of 50 or 60 and change the game.
“His legacy will go on forever – any bloke that put on a St Andrews shirt he absolutely loved them and a lot of the younger players will feel honoured that they’ve really known him over the years.”
Another close friend and teammate, Neville Jackson, said “if you wanted to pick someone to be with you in the cricket trenches you’d go no further than Don Smith”.
“He had an enormous impact on the improvement of young cricketers and he was extremely good at giving his own time, knowledge and experience to the people that he felt needed it,” Jackson said.
In almost 300 senior games the champion all-rounder amassed just shy of 6000 runs at a healthy average of 31.36, while also taking 785 wickets at a remarkable 13.75.
Smith played 154 1st XI games for St Andrews Cricket Club, striking 3758 runs at 31.06, including six centuries and 15 half centuries.
His best 1st XI knock of 116 not out came against Croydon on January 15, 1966.
With the ball he took 335 wickets at an impressive average of 15.55, which included 15 five wicket hauls with his best figures of 8/37 coming against Mooroolbark when he led St Andrews to victory in the second innings of the 1966 decider.
He won the club batting average five times and the bowling four times during a career that spanned almost 30 seasons from 1964-65 to 1993-94.
He was also a member of the club’s first Chandler Shield premiership team in 1974 – the RDCA’s premier division.
Smith served as the club’s treasurer for eight straight seasons between 1975-76 and 1982-83, and president between 1985-86 and 1988-89.
He also served on the executive of the RDCA umpires association for 11 years, including as president, vice president, chairman and selector.
He was inducted as a club life member in 1977-78, an RDCA life member in 1986-87 and an umpires association life member in 2011-12.
Smith has maintained a continuous connection with St Andrews and the RDCA for the past 57 years and recently helped celebrate the club’s most recent 1st XI flag during the COVID-19 affected season of 2019-20.
He was also spotted supporting the team during the current season until falling unwell.
St Andrews president Matthew Millar said the club had lost its “most respected and admired player and administrator”.
“As a player there was no better competitor and if there was ever a cricket team of champions among champions, Don would be among the first picked,” he said.
“Members of St Andrews wish to convey to the Smith family our sincere condolences and note that Don Smith will live on endlessly at St Andrews and be remembered at the highest level.”
RDCA president Michael Finn said Smith was a “giant” and the whole cricket community was devastated by his death.
“He’ll leave an immense void in the RDCA landscape because he was nothing short of a giant for 50 years,” he said.
“As a player, as an administrator, as an umpire, but above all that as a person and a human just in the way that he cared for the game and cared for the people of the game.”
Smith was born and educated in Wangaratta in Victoria’s northeast before moving to Scotch College as a boarder.
He studied accounting after leaving school and worked in accounting, finance and metal manufacturing during his professional career.
He is survived by his three children – Kirsten, Anna and Andrew.
Tributes flow for Ringwood local cricket ‘giant’ - Herald Sun
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