Smith commits future to Gloucestershire
10 December 2020
2020 Supporters’ Player of the Season Tom Smith has committed his future to Gloucestershire Cricket having signed a three-year contract extension which will see him at Bristol until at least the end of the 2023 season.
Smith, who enjoyed a fantastic year in the Vitality Blast, will be working towards a level four coaching badge over the next two years with an official coaching role at the Club commencing in the third year of his contract.
Speaking on his contract extension Tom said:
“I’m delighted to commit my future to the Club. It’s somewhere that not only me but my girls really cherish. We have loved our time here and it’s great that I am able to extend that.”
Smith was a key player in this season’s Vitality Blast, finishing with 14 wickets and a career best performance of 5/16 against Birmingham bears at Edgbaston. He also hit the winning runs against Somerset in a nail-biting South West derby.
Tom had the best economy rate (5.92) of all players who featured more than once in this year’s Vitality Blast, an incredible statistic showcasing his ability to affect the game in more ways than one. The spin bowling combination of Smith and van Buuren in the middle overs was a huge factor of the team’s success on the way to a first Finals Day appearance since 2007.
“It’s so exciting to be a part of this team, we’ve only scratched the surface of what we can do. To get through to Finals Day after three failed attempts was huge for us but I think it was just a stepping-stone to more,” Tom said.
“We all want to improve and get better and we can add two overseas players to a team that already reached the final four. We’ve definitely still got room to grow and hopefully next year we’ll bring some silverware home.”
Head Coach, Richard Dawson believes Tom earned his contract extension:
“Tom has been a consistent performer in white-ball cricket over a number of years now and he had an exceptional T20 tournament this year. We played well as a team and he was a huge part of the squad, so he fully deserved a contract extension.
“The next few years will be transitional for Tom but he has shown a keen interest in developing his coaching. He is still performing at a high level on the field so we hope first and foremost that this continues but we will support him on his coaching journey in any way we can.”
Tom has experience of coaching at youth level but will be hoping to continue his development into the professional game over the next three years.
“I’ve been coaching for a number of years. I started coaching for Middlesex when I was there and when I came to Gloucestershire, I got involved with the spin bowling programme for the Academy,” Tom said.
“I’ve always thought that it’s something I’d like to transition into after my playing career but to be given an official role is very exciting and I can’t wait to get started.”
Head Coach Richard Dawson will work even more closely with the spinner who has been a mainstay in the lineup in all formats since he took charge of the side in 2015.
“Tom is an impressive person. He not only brings a wealth of cricket experience and knowledge, but he’s been through some tough times and how he carries himself will be inspirational for the young cricketers coming through.
“As he transitions into coaching, we’ll start exposing him to the different challenges that coaches face that you may not see as a player. Something I learnt as I began my career in coaching is there are a lot of soft elements that are involved. It’s not necessarily what you know about cricket but how you get your messages across to different characters and personalities.
“Tom himself is a great character and as his playing career comes to an end he can still carry on the culture in the changing room and that’s something that will be hugely beneficial for the Club.”
With a coaching role on the horizon, Tom has reflected on his time at Gloucestershire and is not underestimating his time with some trophy-winning coaches.
“To work with John Bracewell and Richard Dawson was very inspirational. They were both spin bowlers and the way they coached me in the first few years here was very important in my career,” he said.
“They’ve mentored me in my coaching and I’ve often looked at what they’ve done, particularly with Dawson in recent times to understand how he does things. He’s been a great role model for me and if I can do half of what he has in a coaching role that would be fantastic.”
A Gloucestershire cricketer for eight seasons, Smith has been a vital player in a Gloucestershire team that has seen much success in recent years.
He played an important role in the Club’s 2015 Royal London Cup triumph and was a revelation at the 2019 Cheltenham Cricket Festival helping Gloucestershire to back-to-back four-day wins en route to Division One promotion.
Smith’s impact at Gloucestershire has also been felt off the field. In 2019, the Club, supporters and Sussex County Cricket Club all got behind Tom and the charity Grief Encounter on what was known as Rainbow Day.
Over £10,000 was raised for the charity that helped Tom and his family following the loss of his wife Laura after an 18-month battle with illness.
Winning Supporters’ Player of the Season was special for Tom who admits it was another case of fans showing their support for him.
“I was really honoured to win it. I think it wasn’t only for cricketing reasons but the support I’ve had over the years and everyone coming together and voting for me was kind and very humbling.”
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