FORMER Essex star Greg Smith starts his new role with Penzance Cricket Club as Director of Cricket Development and Head Coach on Monday.

As a high profile former player for Derbyshire and Essex, Johannesburg born Greg recently retired from Essex, playing his last game in July 2015.

"I'm really excited about launching the academy," said the 32 year-old.

Getting young people involved in cricket, that’s what I'm passionate about. Also as a club Penzance has clear direction, a ten year vision and everything we do is framed around the three 'c's which are club, county and community. This clear structure will enable Penzance to deliver a great cricket academy which everyone, the community, the county and the club can benefit from!"

Greg is currently working on a number of initiatives for the club and he is quite clear on what youngsters need: "Role models are very important to young people. I am keen to bring in high profile players who can do masterclasses and really inspire and nurture their interest in cricket. I have lots of mates who are England players and they will be coming to the club to work with some of the youngsters, in fact a few of them love surfing too, so they are looking forward to doing that in Cornwall!"

Greg himself was inspired after meeting Nelson Mandela: "I was lucky enough at 15, through my dad's job as CEO of South African Tennis Association, to meet and shake Nelson Mandela's hand. Meeting President Mandela and everything he did for our country, it blew me away, it was a great moment for me."

In line with the clubs three 'c's Greg recalls his own commitment to helping the community in South Africa: "One of the most humbling experiences was playing cricket with some of the children in the townships. We would play cricket with them for a few hours, talk and just have a laugh. These children have very little to play with and their homes have no electricity, water or sewage systems. I was really moved last year when I went back to see all of them still playing with the same cricket bats we gave them years earlier!"

Relocating from Essex, Greg is looking forward to living in Cornwall with his wife, Debs. So if meeting President Mandela was a humbling moment what about telling us an embarrassing one Greg?

"I guess it was when I was playing for Derby against Lancashire, Andrew Flintoff was on 96 and went for a big one and I managed to hold on to a one handed catch which today is still the best I have taken in my career. Being so excited to have caught it, I tripped and did a somersault! David Lloyd the commentator said: 'Best catch he has seen but the worst celebration.'"