'A Great Man'

As a human being, I have the utmost respect for him. Rocked by the death of his wife Laura in 2018, he came close to walking away from cricket in a grief stricken blur, the following season. Coping as a single parent to two young children, he struggled to distinguish the boundaries between coping at home and then being judged for his on-field performances. It would be hard enough to hold down a regular job, let alone one where you are in the public eye.

It was a tough time at Gloucestershire and the club were very understanding; not just to Tom but to Ian Harvey who also lost his wife, Gareth Roderick whose father took his own life and to Michael Klinger, whose wife underwent numerous operations for Grade 4 cancer. Smith described it as “dark, dark days” and the love of his team mates got him through this horrible period of his life. It was this period of grief that united the dressing room, forming a bond and closeness that is unique to Gloucestershire. It was a relationship that future coaches or maybe Director’s of Cricket didn’t understand. Mark Alleyne having played at the club, totally understands what the players have been through, even if most are no longer there. The likes of Jack and Matt Taylor or David Payne were there during this time and although not suffering personal loss, they were close with their team mates and you can’t help being affected.

It was the Covid season of 2020 that rejuvenated Smith. Home schooling his children, he was doing shuttle runs in the garden when the season was given the green light to resume. It was the catalyst that saw him want to continue and he was given a three year contract. He also picked up the Supporters Player of the Year at the end of that season. Thank god for Gloucestershire that he did, as he was integral to the successful Blast campaign of 2024.