Smith's a one-hit wonder
Tim Smith is the toast of Saffron Walden after steering the Tractor Boys into club cricket's National Knockout Cup Final. The farmer, so often a match-winner with his slow medium left-arm swing bowling, turned batting hero in Walden's dramatic semi-final win over Stanmore.
Walden are the first Essex side to reach the Final in the Cup's 34-year's history and they will meet Worcestershire side Barnt Green at Edgbaston on 5 September.
In the semi-final, last man Smith struck precisely one not out from the one ball he faced, the fifth of the 45th and final over.
But his nerveless chip over mid-wicket was enough to clinch Walden's place in their first major final as their score of 174 for nine pipped Stanmore who closed on 173 for seven.
Smith, 48, said: "I've been on the verge of packing up every season for the last 10 years but I must still enjoy it or I would not keep putting myself through all that.
"When you've had your arms on the steering wheel of a tractor 14 hours a day, it's not easy to get your arm up to bowl against fit young blokes who are less than half your age."
Stanmore will try and put their disappointment behind them on Sunday when they visit Ealing in their delayed Evening Standard Challenge Trophy quarterfinal. The winners will face Teddington a week later.
The other semi-final, between High Wycombe and Brentham goes ahead this Sunday and the Final of the competition is at The Oval on 15 September.
