Neil Smith has held two rather unusual records. When he led Warwickshire out for a one-day game against Northamptonshire in 1997, it was the first time a father and son had both captained the county (his father is, MJK Smith, who also captained England). Smith junior's other claim to fame is that he registered the earliest century in County Championship history when he hit a hundred against Durham at Edgbaston on 17 April, 1998. However, he lost that record to team-mate Dougie Brown a year later. Unfortunately for Smith, he also lost the captaincy to Michael Powell at the end of the 2000 season - in which the county reached a Lord's final and gained promotion in the National League. Smith made his debut for Warwickshire in 1987 and received his county cap six years later. A right-hand bat and offspiner, he has turned in a series of consistent seasons, averaging in the mid-20s with the bat and taking more than 300 first-class wickets, but at an average of well over 30. He played in two one-day internationals in South Africa and three World Cup games in Pakistan in 1996. Two more one-day appearances followed in the summer against India but his performances were rather ordinary and he faded from the scene.
Graham Holburn