Kelvin Smith, 18, becomes West Torrens Cricket Club's youngest ever captain

KELVIN Smith will next season become the youngest captain in West Torrens Eagles' 156-year history - and one of the youngest ever in SA Grade Cricket.

KELVIN Smith will next season become the youngest captain in West Torrens Eagles' 156-year history - and one of the youngest ever in SA Grade Cricket.

The rookie-listed Redbacks batsman was appointed to the role at an Eagles board meeting last month.

He will turn 19 before round one, breaking the West Torrens record held by SA cricket great David Hookes.

Hookes was 21 when he was Eagles skipper during the 1976-77 season.

Smith says he is excited, rather than daunted, by the opportunity to lead his peers.

"People might be raising eyebrows but in a cricket sense I feel I'm quite mature and more mature than my age," Smith says.

"Anything to do with leadership I've always tried to give a crack.

"When I'm on the field I'll be pretty confident in instructing and whatnot."

Smith's appointment comes less than three years after he became the seventh-youngest player to make his A-grade debut for the Eagles, aged 16.

Since then he has represented the Australian under-17 team and SA at the under-19 championships.

Last season, Smith scored 422 A-grade runs at 35.17, leading the Redbacks to select him as a rookie for the 2013/14 season.

One-Test off-spinner Dan Cullen and batsman Adrian Chad will be Smith's deputies.