 As a cricketer, Smith was known as "Colin Smith" and was a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler who played all his first-class cricket between 1951 and 1958.His county cricket was played for Lancashire, who capped him in 1957, but he also appeared for Cambridge University (for whom he gained his blue) among a number of other teams.He was selected for the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord's in 1957.