England's cricket team has a new star in the making—Jamie Smith, the young wicket-keeper batsman who recently etched his name into the history books.
On Day 3 of the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, Smith scored his maiden Test century, breaking a 94-year-old record. This remarkable achievement has garnered attention, making cricket fans eager to learn more about the rising talent.
The Sporting News takes a look at the English team's latest record-breaking talent.
Who is Jamie Smith? England's Latest Wicketkeeper Batsman Who Broke a 94-Year-Old Record
Jamie Smith began his cricketing journey at a young age. He first represented Surrey at Under-9 level and quickly progressed through the age-group teams.
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He was promoted several steps up, even playing alongside older players like Tom Curran in the Under-17s just weeks after his 12th birthday. Smith made his Surrey debut a week before his 18th birthday, stepping in for a T20 match against Middlesex at Lord’s.
He made history on the third day of the first Test against Sri Lanka. Smith scored his maiden Test century in just 136 balls, becoming the youngest England wicket-keeper to score a Test ton.
At just 23 years old, he surpassed the previous record held by Les Ames, who was 24 years and 63 days old when he scored his century for England in 1930. Smith’s century was a blend of traditional shots and effective running between wickets. His batting also helped England build a lead in the match.
Smith’s debut for England came earlier this year against the West Indies, where he scored 70 runs. He has continued to impress with his batting, scoring a near-century knock in his third Test and a 95 against the West Indies at Edgbaston.
Smith’s achievement is noteworthy as he is the first England wicketkeeper-batter to score a Test century since December 2022. The last England wicketkeeper to score a century was Ollie Pope, against Pakistan in Rawalpindi.
Jamie Smith's career stats
| Format | Mat | Runs | HS | Ave | 100 | 50 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 4 | 318 | 111 | 63.6 | 1 | 2 |
| ODI | 2 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| First-class | 62 | 3640 | 234* | 42.32 | 10 | 16 |
| List A one-day | 17 | 434 | 85 | 39.45 | 0 | 3 |
| List A Twenty20 | 84 | 1355 | 87 | 24.19 | 0 | 7 |
| Youth Test | 2 | 208 | 104 | 52 | 1 | 1 |
| Youth ODI | 3 | 60 | 48 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Youth T20I | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 |