FORMER Accrington and Baxenden cricketer Fredrick Vincent Smith has died, aged 95, in Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Mr Smith, who lived in the Addison Court Nursing Home, Accrington, died as a result of contracting pneumonia after breaking his leg.

Mr Smith made his first team debut for Accrington in 1927 when Hedley Verity was professional.

Mr Smith, who joined Accrington from Baxenden in 1925 was a great admirer of Charlie Llewellyn, who he played with in the 1920s. A right arm medium paced bowler who could also bat, Mr Smith rejoined Baxenden in 1929 and played on until the 1950s.

He was a member of the Baxenden team that won the Accrington and District Cricket League in 1947.

Before the Second World War, Mr Smith worked in the family business J and H Smith, reed and shuttle manufacturers, in Clement Street, with his brother Ben.

When the firm closed in 1939, Mr Smith went on to work for Bradshaw's.

During the war he was a special constable in the district and was well-known in all the local hostelries.

At the age of 50, he married Emily, who died in September 1998.

Mr Smith leaves nieces Margaret and Doreen and nephew Geoff.

Cremation took place at Accrington on Friday.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.