Ernest Smythe

{{short description|English cricketer and Indian Army officer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name =

| image =

| country = England

| fullname = Ernest Meade Smythe

| nickname =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1904|3|25|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Ealing, Middlesex, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1975|7|9|1904|3|25|df=yes}}

| death_place = St Columb Major, Cornwall, England

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| batting =

| bowling =

| role =

| family =

| club1 = Bengal Governor's XI

| year1 = 1930/31

| clubnumber1 =

| club2 = Devon

| year2 = 1928

| clubnumber2 =

| columns = 1

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 1

| runs1 = 7

| bat avg1 = 3.50

| 100s/50s1 = –/–

| top score1 = 6

| deliveries1 = 54

| wickets1 = 1

| bowl avg1 = 19.00

| fivefor1 = –

| tenfor1 = –

| best bowling1 = 1/9

| catches/stumpings1 = –/–

| date = 2 March

| year = 2011

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/34439.html Cricinfo

}}

Ernest Meade Smythe (25 March 1904 – 9 July 1975) was an English cricketer and Indian Army officer. His batting and bowling styles are unknown. He was born in Ealing, Middlesex and educated at Allhallows School in Devon.{{cite web|url=http://home.zipworld.com.au/~lnbdds/home/smythjohnrev.htm|title=Smythe family research|website=home.zipworld.com.au|accessdate=2 March 2011}}

Smythe played for Devon in the 1928 Minor Counties Championship, playing three matches against the Kent Second XI, the Surrey Second XI and Cornwall.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/14/14592/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Ernest Smythe|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=2 March 2011}} In November 1930, he played his only first-class match for the Bengal Governor's XI against the Maharaj Kumar of Vizianagram's XI at Eden Gardens, Calcutta.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/14/14592/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Ernest Smythe|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=2 March 2011}} In the Bengal first-innings he scored 1 run before being dismissed by Ghulam Mohammad and in their second-innings he scored 6 runs before being dismissed by Mushtaq Ali. With the ball he took a single wicket, that of C.R. Nayudu for the cost of 19 runs.{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/13/13722.html|title=Bengal Governor's XI v Maharaj Kumar of Vizianagram's XI, 1930|publisher=CricketArchive|accessdate=1 March 2011}}

With the Japanese declaration of war against the British Empire during World War II, Smythe was drafted into the Indian Army as an emergency commission in February 1942, holding the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.{{London Gazette |issue=35570 |date=22 May 1942 |page=2246}} He died in St Columb Major, Cornwall on 9 July 1975.