Smith eyes coaching qualification

3:45pm Thursday 17th April 2008

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WHILE all around him were off playing cricket in sunnier climes, Worcestershire's veteran batsman Ben Smith was hitting the books.

Entering the twilight of his career, the amiable 36-year-old has spent the winter studying for his level four ECB coaching badge.

While Smith, who enjoyed good pre-season knocks, is not contemplating retirement the former County skipper knows that when the times finally comes to lay down his bat these coaching badges will give him another string to his bow.

"I have been pretty busy doing my level four coaching course and that has taken up a lot of my time this winter," Smith said. "Three-days-a-week for two-weeks a month.

"Once the season ends you only get about a month off before the fitness training starts in October and you're back in the nets in January anyway.

"I have also been helping Gavin Haynes with the coaching at one of the satellite academies for 11-14-year-olds as well as running coaching courses in the half-term holidays with Gareth Batty.

"I think that it is important to be qualified in your profession especially when you don't have many outside the sport.

"I'm not thinking about retiring yet, I would like to think that I have a good few more years left in me. Doing something like this will give me options."

Smith missed the end of the last campaign when he broke a finger in the County Championship match against Hampshire last September at Kidderminster.

Fully healed the 36-year-old, who will be hoping for an extension to this term, is raring to go and if his well crafted 79 against Leicestershire earlier this month is anything to go by Smith could be in for a vintage year.