LBW Smith
| Company type | Radio drama |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Founder | Australian Broadcasting Commission |
| Headquarters | Australia |
| Products | Radio drama series |
LBW Smith is a 1958 radio drama from Australia, produced by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Developed to align with the 1958–59 Ashes cricket series contested between the Australian and English teams, the production was notable for its innovative approach of incorporating live match results into the script shortly before broadcast.
The serial's script was crafted by George F. Kerr, who was recognized as the ABC's most prolific writer during that period.
Premise
An English cricket enthusiast, the Duke of Bootle, and an Australian counterpart, Mrs Flinders, place bets on the Ashes series outcome. Their journey across Australia following the Test matches leads them to LBW Smith, a cricketer with potential eligibility for either nation.
Cast
- Don Pascoe portraying the Duke of Bootle
- Lionel Stevens as Cavendish, the valet
- Queenie Ashton in the role of Mrs Kev Flinders
- Richard Meikle playing LBW Smith
- Madi Hedd as Liz
- Ric Hutton
- June Salter
Production
This series uniquely incorporated authentic Ashes elements such as current match scores, ambient crowd noise, and featured commentary from personalities including Johnny Moyes, Alec Bedser, and Alan McGilvray. Scripts were revised at the last moment to accurately reflect ongoing game developments.
Significantly, Richie Benaud made a guest appearance as himself in the concluding episode.