Ian David Stockley Smith MBE is a New Zealand cricket and rugby commentator and former cricketer. He played as a wicket-keeper for New Zealand throughout the 1980s and part of the 1990s. A reliable wicket-keeper and a steely batsman lower order the order, Ian Smith figured in 63 Tests and 98 ODIs for New Zealand. Smith was a vital component of the New Zealand team of the 80's, which consistently punched above its weight, beating Australia and England and even holding the imposing West Indies to a draw. For much of his 12-year international career, he was generally regarded as the best wicketkeeper in the world. Smith claimed most New Zealand records, including 176 test dismissals and 426 in all first-class cricket.

Ian Smith was born in Nelson, New Zealand to a family of keen golfers. They moved to Wanganui when he was one and then to Wellington when he was eight years old. It was here where Smith first played cricket at the Miramar Park Cricket Club. He was initially an off spinner who "batted a bit". He was a member of the Wellington Primary Schools' team and was selected for the North Island Primary Schools' team and captained the North Island under-12s. In his high school years, he moved to Palmerston North and concentrated on playing as a wicket-keeper. Ian came to Boys’ High for his 7th form year in 1974. He played for both the 1st XI football and the 1st XI cricket teams. He scored three centuries for the 1st XI and won the Best Batsman award for the Manawatu Second Grade competition. In 1978, he played as a substitute fielder for New Zealand in their Test match against Pakistan in Napier and was delighted to be paid NZ$100. His car broke down after the game; the repairs cost NZ$99.95.

Ian Smith first played for Central Districts in 1978 against the touring English team. In his fourth game for Central Districts against Canterbury, he was knocked unconscious by a short delivery bowled by Richard Hadlee. Smith went off injured but returned the following day to make 60 runs. He had a particularly good season batting in 1982/3 for Central Districts, scoring three centuries (145 against Auckland, 111 and 143 against Northern Districts).

Ian Smith was first selected to play for New Zealand in 1980 on their Australian tour after having played for the Young New Zealand team. His first game for New Zealand was against a Victorian Country XI. He was not included in the test eleven for the first test in Brisbane at the 'Gabba but when Warren Lees failed a fitness test on the first morning, Smith was elevated into the test team. Smith was part of the dynamic 1980s New Zealand side that included, Geoff Howarth, Richard Hadlee, John Wright, Bruce Edgar, Lance Cairns, Martin Snedden and Ewen Chatfield. His participation in prominent early One-Day International matches against Australia significantly contributed to the development of a robust Trans-Tasman rivalry.

As wicketkeeper during a 12-year career with the Kiwis, he had “the best view in the house” to champion bowler Sir Richard Hadlee, taking many catches behind the wicket to the brilliant fast bowler. He was also at the centre of his nation's most memorable moments in sport throughout the 1980s. The dismissal of Smith, who made two Test centuries for his country, at the MCG arguably proved the catalyst for the infamous “underarm” delivery bowled by Trevor Chappell in 1981. He was walking off the field [eighth wicket down, having made 4]; obviously disappointed because he believed he missed an opportunity to win the game. Smith passed the calm, laid-back McKechnie on his way back to the Pavillion. Then as he was walking up the stairs, Smith could detect something wasn't quite right.

In those days in Melbourne, you had a players' viewing room, and a dressing room that was downstairs. He went through the players' viewing room from where there was a bit of chatter. He heard a commotion when going downstairs and went back upstairs and saw a lot of experienced New Zealand players who were visibly upset and verbally going off. Mark Burgess had just thrown a teacup at the wall so hard that it obliterated into powder on contact. Smith had to watch from afar as Brian McKechnie threw his bat away in disgust on that hot, steamy Melbourne day after tapping away the underarm ball as it crawled straight down the pitch. The Kiwi's, in disbelief stayed in the dressing room for an hour and half. When they went outside, it would have been 2000 to 3000 at the ground. They wanted to carry their bags to the bus. Most of them were Australians and they genuinely apologised and said how they regretted such a thing could happen. The incident lives on in infamy and will be forever part of New Zealand's sporting culture. Inadvertently, the two Chappell brothers probably did more for the game of cricket in New Zealand than anyone else.

A compact and efficient wicketkeeper, and a dogged late-order batsman, Ian Smith succeeded Warren Lees in the New Zealand side in Australia in 1980/81 and aside from a prolonged absence through injury in 1981/82, was a regular for more than a decade thereafter. His finest hour came at Auckland in 1990-91 when, arriving at the crease with New Zealand on 131 for 7 against India, he cracked a remarkable 173 off 136 balls including 24 off one over from Atul Wassan. It was the highest score by a Test No. 9.

Smith also played alongside the great Martin Crowe in the 1992 World Cup and believes they were sure to win the tournament until fate stepped in and Crowe was injured. Their chance of winning was greater [if he had been on]. The side had performed admirably for six weeks and knew his style of captaincy. John Wright came in and put a different slant on it.

By the end of his playing career, Smith had the second highest strike rate as a batsman who'd played at least 20 innings' for One Day Internationals – 99 runs per 100 balls faced, coming just behind Lance Cairns. Shortly after his retirement, Ian Smith turned to commentary, splitting his work between cricket and rugby. He remembers fondly the moment Richie Benaud stood aside to allow him to call New Zealand’s famous triumph over England at Lords in 1999. And he delivered the famous line “by the barest of margins, the barest of all margins” after England edged the Black Caps in the history-making 2019 World Cup final at the same ground.

In April 2020, Smith won New Zealand Cricket's most prestigious award, the Bert Sutcliffe Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Cricket.