Kelly Smuts

{{short description|South African cricketer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Kelly Smuts

| image =

| country =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|1|22|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Grahamstown, South Africa

| death_date =

| death_place =

| nickname =

| batting = Left-handed

| bowling = Right-arm medium

| role =

| club1 = Eastern Province

| year1 = 2009/10–2019/20

| club2 = Warriors

| year2 = 2010/11–2019/20

| club3 = South Western Districts

| year3 = 2020/21–

| club4 = Northern Cape

| year4 = 2022/23

| columns = 3

| column1 = FC

| matches1 = 124

| runs1 = 6,094

| bat avg1 = 32.94

| 100s/50s1 = 15/28

| top score1 = 170*

| deliveries1 = 7711

| wickets1 = 138

| bowl avg1 = 27.57

| fivefor1 = 6

| tenfor1 = 1

| best bowling1 = 3/43

| catches/stumpings1 = 86/–

| column2 = LA

| matches2 =95

| runs2 = 1993

| bat avg2 = 24.60

| 100s/50s2 = 0/13

| top score2 = 91

| deliveries2 = 1914

| wickets2 = 55

| bowl avg2 = 25.56

| fivefor2 = 1

| tenfor2 = 0

| best bowling2 = 5/34

| catches/stumpings2 = 32/–

| column3 =T20

| matches3 = 61

| runs3 = 838

| bat avg3 = 20.43

| 100s/50s3 = 0/3

| top score3 = 64

| deliveries3 = 474

| wickets3 = 29

| bowl avg3 = 20.93

| fivefor3 = 0

| tenfor3 = 0

| best bowling3 = 3/17

| catches/stumpings3 = 25/–

| date = 13 April

| year = 2025

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/327829.html Cricinfo

}}

Kelly Royce Smuts (born 22 January 1990) is a South African cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and right-arm medium-pace bowler who plays for Eastern Province. He was born in Grahamstown.

Smuts made his cricketing debut for South Africa Under-19s, playing a single Under-19 Test match against Bangladesh. He later played two matches in a Tri-Nation tournament, one against Bangladesh and one against India.

Smuts made two appearances during the CSA Under-19 Competition in 2008–09. Smuts made his first-class debut for Eastern Province during the 2009–10 season, against Gauteng.[http://www.cricinfo.com/rsadomestic-09/engine/current/match/423114.html Gauteng v. Eastern Province in 2009-10] He was included in the Eastern Province cricket team squad for the 2015 Africa T20 Cup.[http://www.espncricinfo.com/africa-t20-cup-2015-16/content/squad/911675.html Eastern Province Squad / Players] – ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 31 August 2015. In the 2015–16 Sunfoil 3-Day Cup, he became the first player to make a century and take 13 wickets during a first-class match in South Africa.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sport24.co.za/Cricket/ep-cricketer-makes-history-20160216 |title=EP cricketer makes history |accessdate=23 April 2017 |work=Sport24}} In April 2017, he made the highest total in the history of the Lancashire League, scoring 211 for Todmorden Cricket Club.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39686718 |title=Lancashire League: Michael Clarke's record broken by Kelly Smuts |accessdate=23 April 2017 |work=BBC Sport}}

In August 2017, he was named in Durban Qalandars' squad for the first season of the T20 Global League.{{cite web|url=http://www.t20.gl/news/t20-global-league-announces-final-team-squads|title=T20 Global League announces final team squads|accessdate=28 August 2017|work=T20 Global League|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170905185645/https://www.t20.gl/news/t20-global-league-announces-final-team-squads|archive-date=5 September 2017|url-status=dead}} However, in October 2017, Cricket South Africa initially postponed the tournament until November 2018, with it being cancelled soon after.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/southafrica/content/story/1123408.html |title=Cricket South Africa postpones Global T20 league |accessdate=10 October 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

He was the leading run-scorer in the 2017–18 Sunfoil 3-Day Cup for Eastern Province, with 646 runs in eight matches.{{cite web |url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12114;team=3259;type=tournament |title=Sunfoil 3-Day Cup, 2017/18 Eastern Province: Batting and bowling averages |accessdate=13 April 2018 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

In September 2018, he was named in Eastern Province's squad for the 2018 Africa T20 Cup.{{cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/squad/1158614.html |title=Eastern Province Squad |work=ESPN Cricinfo |accessdate=12 September 2018}} In September 2019, he was named in Eastern Province's squad for the 2019–20 CSA Provincial T20 Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.sacricketmag.com/marais-headlines-eastern-province-squad/ |title=Marais headlines Eastern Province squad |work=SA Cricket Mag |accessdate=12 September 2019}}

Smuts' brother, JJ Smuts, is also a first-class cricketer.