EASTON & Martyr Worthy's ambitions to bounce back from last summer's relegation into Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 have been boosted by the signing of Australian Scott Smith as their overseas player for 2005.

A cricket Australia Level 2 coach, he will play an important coaching role in Easton's revitalized junior section.

Smith was a member of the Tasmania Sheffield Shield squad and a prolific run scorer in the ACT, where he now lives.

He made his first grade debut in Canberra in 1986/87 and has played 155 1st Grade matches, scoring 4472 runs and taking 94 wickets.

He is currently 21st overall on the leading runscorers in ACT 1st Grade cricket. He made his debut for the ACT in 1989/90 and played 21 matches until his last match in 1996/97.

A top-order batsman, his ability to bowl off spin should nicely complement Easton's left-arm spinner Steve Green and, having played for two seasons for Quarndon in the ECB Derbyshire Premier League, be well versed in English conditions.

He scored 1,000 runs in his first season with the club and over 900 in the second.