John Darwall-Smith

John Anderton Darwall-Smith (12 April 1912 – 22 June 1976) was an English first-class cricketer. Darwall-Smith played first-class cricket for Oxford University and the Free Foresters in mid-1930s, before serving in the Second World War.

John Darwall-Smith

Personal information
Full name	John Anderton Darwall-Smith
Born	12 April 1912 Marylebone, London, England
Died	22 June 1976(1976-06-22) (aged 64) Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast-medium
Relations	Randle Darwall-Smith (brother)
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1933–1934	Oxford University
Career statistics
Competition First-class Matches 5 Runs scored 98 Batting average 12.25 100s/50s –/– Top score 36 Balls bowled 799 Wickets 13 Bowling average 30.23 5 wickets in innings – 10 wickets in match – Best bowling 4/106 Catches/stumpings 2/–
Source: Cricinfo, 4 June 2019

Life, cricket and war service

Darwall-Smith was born at Marylebone in April 1912. He was educated at Winchester College,[1] From Winchester he went up to Trinity College, Oxford.[2] While at Oxford he made his debut in first-class cricket for Oxford University against the touring West Indians in 1933 at Oxford.[3] He made three further first-class appearances for Oxford, playing two more matches in 1933 and one in 1934.[3] He scored 83 runs and took 9 wickets in his four matches,[4][5] but was unable to establish himself in the Oxford team.[1] While at Oxford he played football for Oxford University and Corinthians.[1] He made a final appearance in first-class cricket for the Free Foresters against Oxford University in 1937.[3]

During the height of the Second World War, Darwall-Smith was commissioned into the King's Royal Rifle Corps as a second lieutenant in March 1941.[6] He was mentioned in dispatches in March 1945, by which point he held the rank of captain.[7] He died in hospital at Hemel Hempstead in June 1976.[1] His younger brother, Randle Darwall-Smith, also played first-class cricket.

References

1. "Wisden – Obituaries in 1976". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
2. Oxford University Calendar. University of Oxford. 1944. p. 610.
3. "First-Class Matches played by John Darwall-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
4. "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by John Darwall-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
5. "First-class Bowling For Each Team by John Darwall-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
6. "No. 35121". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 March 1941. p. 1892.
7. "No. 36994". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 March 1945. p. 1560.

External links

• John Darwall-Smith at ESPNcricinfo