Cricket: Smith hits reminder of good old days
Durham 203 & 4-0 Hampshire 396
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EVEN GRAHAM Gooch was moved to congratulate Robin Smith on his stunning hundred. "Not a bad knock," the England selector managed. "It's going to cost Hampshire a fortune in picket boards." The former England captain, who was on the ground as much in his capacity of batting consultant to Durham as anything else, was referring to the venom and power of the 24 fours which thudded incessantly against the hoardings in Smith's flawless innings of 134.
It was only Smith's second century of a season in which he has either been hampered by injury or by the weather. But yesterday nothing could stop him. For some Hampshire old-stagers it was his best innings since his hundred against the Australians in 1993. Smith was not so certain if it was his best knock, all he would say after his brisk 126-ball effort was: "I was delighted with the way I played.
"I particularly enjoyed playing like that in front of Goochie. I was totally inspired by the fact that he was here. I have enormous respect for him as a player and as a friend."
Smith made it clear out that he has not given up hope of an England return - his last appearance was in January 1996 against South Africa in Cape Town - but on the evidence of this, his 55th first-class hundred, he has lost none of his faculties. And he does have 4,236 Test runs at an average of 43.
If Durham tended to bowl a little too short at him all the better, it allowed Smith room to batter the boards off the back foot. He was equally punishing on the front foot, though, and hit some exquisite drives back past the bowler. He reached three figures off just 87 balls, having hooked a six off Paul Collingwood and hit 18 of his fours.
It was his first against Durham. He now only needs a hundred against Middlesex to complete the set and they meet here at the end of this month.
Smith was given admirable support by the in-form wicketkeeper Adrian Aymes, whose first-class average is 52. He passed fifty again and in the process shared in a fifth-wicket stand of 159 with Smith in a mere 34 overs. Smith and Aymes were both caught behind by Martin Speight, two of a clutch of victims for the former Sussex man.
Hampshire hammered home their advantage by collecting a fourth batting bonus point and established a 193-run first-innings lead.
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