DURBAN - Daryn Smit spent Thursday packing. He had already started packing bits and bobs, but there was a spring in his step on Thursday, as he marked boxes of precious belongings, crossing out Ramsbottom, Lancashire, and replacing it with the county of Derbyshire.
“It would have been slightly better if the news came a few weeks earlier, but beggars can’t be choosers,” Smit, the Dolphins veteran of 14 seasons, grinned, in between boxes.
Derbyshire, captained by another KZN product in the prolific Wayne Madsen, have offered Smit a two-year deal, as he qualifies to play as a non-overseas player. For a man who was happy to take his chances and ply his trade in club cricket again, it is a terrific shot in the arm.
“I took a leap of faith, and this is just fantastic news! I am really excited to be joining up with a county like Derbyshire, and I can’t wait to get over there.”
Ever the gent, Smit was quick to extend his heartiest thanks to the club he starred for in Lancashire for the past three South African winters. It was there that he caught the eye of several counties, and from whence he got the call to turn out for the Derbyshire Second XI last season.
“That double-hundred I made, in what was essentially a trial game, was clearly instrumental in them offering me the deal. I must also say that having Wayne there, as a friend off the field, as well as a skipper on the park, makes things a lot easier, too,” Smith enthused.
He won’t lack for familiar faces, mind you. Imran Tahir has signed for a stint, and Hardus Viljoen penned a three-year Kolpak deal that starts next month.
“There are a few familiar faces around, and it is very exciting. I had a look at the fixtures, and we play the Proteas in a warm-up fixture, as well,” he added with relish.
While Smit is a multi-faceted player, capable of bowling leg-spin, keeping wicket and obviously batting in the middle-order, his task initially will be to pile up the runs in the middle.
“I think scoring my highest score in my final appearance for the Dolphins also helped to convince them that I could still play at the highest level, so I am really looking forward to the challenge.
“Later in the season, when my shoulder heals, I would be open to keeping or bowling, depending on the needs of the team. But, for now, I am very happy to just concentrate on my batting.”
Smit is also looking forward to showing his full repertoire of game-management abilities, as he will also play in white-ball cricket for Derbyshire, something he hasn’t done too often in South Africa in recent seasons.
“I am really pleased about that. I want to show what I can do at the back end of the innings with the bat, which is something that I have missed doing over the last few seasons. I just can’t wait to get there,” he beamed.
Smit explained that he and his wife, Sarah, had now moved forward their departure date, in order to give each other as much time as possible to settle into a new city.
“We leave next Friday (March 24), so there is very little time for packing! We wanted to get over there soon, and settle in, because it will be manic when the season starts. I also want to get on the early season wickets, because they can be quite testing,” Smit admitted.
At 33, and still very much thriving - on the back of a reduced workload in recent years - Smit may just be about to embark on a most fruitful county cricket journey, doing so with the playing wealth of over
12 000 first-class runs, and 14 seasons of top-level cricket behind him.
While it looks a heck of a deal for him, it may well be Derbyshire who are smiling come season’s end, because they have acquired the services of the ultimate team man.
Players of his ilk are often called the senior pro, or Mr Cricket, but Smit goes by the considerable moniker of “Speech”.
The lads down Derby way better brace themselves.