RCC can confirm that club professional Daryn Smit will not be returning in 2022.
Andy Dalby commented, “Unfortunately all good things come to an end. I spoke to Daryn earlier in the season (after he had scored a century!) and I knew that with a heavy workload at DCCC and a young family this would be Daryn’s last year at Acre Bottom; I have to be honest I still tried!”
Since signing, Smit has amassed 3,788 league runs for RCC at 74.27 and 289 wickets at 8.88.
This season stats remain as impressive with 586 runs at 53 and 36 wickets at 13.47.
Smit commented, “Making the decision to walk away from the role as professional at a club that has been so close to my heart since my first season back in 2014 was a very tough one to make, but at the same time under the circumstances, a knowingly necessary one.
This season has been a challenging one with my role as academy director at Derbyshire keeping me away from home for long hours during the week and the subsequent demands of then spending most weekends away with a young family is just not sustainable moving forward.
Last season whilst on furlough and sat at home all week, it seemed a nice relief to be away on the weekends playing cricket. This year with life more back to normal, it has all been too much too sustain and particularly with a physically demanding job on a not so young body anymore, with the aches and pains, scars and bruises of a long career starting to take their toll.
I may continue to play next season, closer to home, that will require less time away from the family and more opportunity for them to be around to watch but I will decide that in due course.
I will forever be grateful to the club for the fantastic memories and opportunities to become part of the Rammy family and the way the club and it’s amazing members welcomed us into the family all those years ago.
Winning the league in 2016 will be etched in mine and many others memories for yours to come and on a personal level, breaking Brad Hodges record in 2015 was a very special moment too. Selfishly I hope that record remains for years to come but ultimately records are made to be broken and I hope the pro’s over the next few years can improve on that 1,248 run mark as that will no doubt mean that the team will be challenging for silverware once more.
I look forward to going out with a bang and helping us finish the season as strongly as possible and I know that this certainly isn’t goodbye as I have no doubt that the odd sub pro gig here and there will allow me the opportunity to grace the hallowed turf of Acre Bottom in due course.
