The two new pitches at the extreme north end of the playing fields, adjacent to Little Wood, were named Smithsons' Field in recognition of Bertram Harold Smithson and his son, Malcolm, who were consecutively Head Groundsman from February 1946 to October 1995.

They were the father and younger brother respectively of Gerald Arthur Smithson, ex Yorkshire, Leicestershire and England cricketer, who was himself Head Groundsman and cricket professional at nearby Abingdon School from 1958 until his death in 1970.

The cricket grounds (including Smithson Fields) have been described as ‘arguably one of the best in the country’.