General News
10 May, 2023
Road named after Stawell's test cricketer
Leslie O'Brien Fleetwood-Smith was born in Stawell on March 30, 1908.
The Northern Grampians Shire recently named an unnamed road that runs between Hill Street and King Street, Stawell as 'Fleetwood Smith Way'.
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Leslie O'Brien Fleetwood-Smith was born in Stawell on March 30, 1908. His parents were Leslie Fleetwood and Frances Fleetwood Smith and Senior was the Editor of the 'Pleasant Creek News'
Leslie O'Brien Fleetwood-Smith junior attended 502 Primary School and went on to Xavier College where he was a successful first X1 cricketer.
He made his debut as a Victorian Sheffield Shield Cricketer in 1931 playing against South Australia and Tasmania.
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His first test match for Australia was against South Africa in Durban. He went on to play 10 tests for Australia, touring South Africa and England twice.
He took a total of 597 wickets at 22.6 in all first class cricket.
In test matches he took 42 at 37.4, including 10 for 239 against England in 1937.
He retired from playing cricket in 1946.
He died of cancer in March 1971.
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